


The Sun Is New

by Golden28



Category: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League (2017), Twilight
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-02-06 05:38:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 94,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12810786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Golden28/pseuds/Golden28
Summary: Bruce fought to stop the Enchantress from taking over the world, only to find himself infected by her magic. Driven to the brink of sanity by her powers he vanishes into seclusion. Then a chance meeting with a woman in a blue dress clears the magical fog over his mind and reverses the effects of his curse. But she disappears and Bruce is left without answers about how she'd saved him.Bella didn't mean to get involved with a man, let alone Gotham's number one playboy. Now he won't leave her alone and Victoria is circling. All she can think about is staying alive, but Bruce has never been one to give up the chase easily.





	1. I Put a Spell On You

Chapter One: I Put a Spell on You

“One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.” – Niccolo Machiavelli

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The world is a complicated place. 

People tried to uncomplicate it and paint the world in shades of black and white, good and evil. After his dealings with Clark Kent last year Bruce had thought he’d moved past such inclinations. He had made a terrible error in judgement with Superman and resolved to never repeat those mistakes. But he’d never imagined that one day he would encounter someone like the Enchantress. She was pure evil, a being straight from his childhood nightmares. Her delight in terrorizing people was unparalleled by the Joker, Two Face, or any other criminal he’d come across after twenty years in Gotham. 

The Enchantress first made headlines after she’d stormed a military base in Wyoming, throwing bolts of magic like an avenging god. News of her casualty ridden assaults came one after another. Fort Benning, Georgia – seven soldiers dead. Fort Hood – eight soldiers, two civilian contractors, dead. Camp Pendleton, Nellis Airforce Base, and San Diego’s Naval Base all in the same month. More people died in every attack as her anger grew. But in the violence a pattern had emerged. Bruce laid a trap and the net closed around her. Amanda Waller didn’t care what he did with the Enchantress, all she asked was that it was quick and quiet. 

In the bowels of the bat cave, trapped in a cell made of nth metal from the planet Thanagar, the Enchantress sat and fumed. The cage was a gift from A.R.G.U.S. and it had properties that rendered magic impotent. Bruce stood outside her cell and watched as the crazed witch paced the length of her cage.

“Who are you?” Bruce asked. Through the voice changer, he sounded guttural. 

Her iridescent eyes stared at him with loathing. The Enchantress tilted her chin up and hissed. His reaction must have disappointed because she spat through the bars and gave a frustrated growl.  
He took the opportunity to study her, taking in the stringy black hair, gray skin and eerie eyes. The government files on her had claimed she was a witch, recruited into A.R.G.U.S. for special operations. He wondered what they’d been thinking when they’d invited this psychotic woman onto a strike team. Enchantress drew green fire between her hands and flung it at the bars. The Thanagarian metal deflected the magic. A rage filled scream pierced the room as Enchantress dropped to her knees and howled with fury. Her eyes fastened on Bruce. 

Her voice was raspy when she spoke. “Human. How dare you defy me? I am more powerful than anything that has every walked this planet. You will bow to me one day!”

“When will that be?” 

“All the humans will bow to me! I will be worshipped.”

He crossed his arms and stared at her, unimpressed by the tirade. “How does taking over a military base advance that plan? It doesn’t seem like something a deity would have to stoop to.” 

“When they fear me, they will worship me. Release me and I will spare your life. Keep me here and I will see you suffer the fires of hell!” 

“I’ll risk it,” Bruce said, and turned away.

He walked out of the room as her outraged cries sounded behind him.

Bruce set the locks on the vault door to room that held Enchantress and removed his mask. He’d captured her and for tonight that was enough.

Alfred was in the control room, seated at the computer.

“Did you find anything in the A.R.G.U.S. database?” Bruce asked.

“Less than I’d like. She possessed an archeologist by the name of Dr. June Moone a few years ago. An updated file shows that she and Dr. Moone separated and Enchantress was thought dead. Her powers aren’t named in the file.”

Bruce dropped into the chair next to Alfred. “I’ll interrogate her in the morning. She’s not feeling chatty tonight.” He took off his gloves and tossed them on the desk. “Why don’t you take tomorrow off? You’ve earned it.”

“I’ll be in tomorrow afternoon.”

Bruce knew better than to argue. 

The butler left and Bruce started in on the A.R.G.U.S. files. Before long the words blurred on the screen. He’d been awake for days, but he pushed himself to read for a while longer but exhaustion sank in and his head slumped forward as sleep overtook him.

A scream woke him. Bruce snapped awake in an instant and bolted out of his chair. He sprinted towards the Enchantress’ cell and tore open the vault door. Inside he found her on the floor. She writhed, in the throes of what looked like a seizure, as foam dripped from her mouth. Green light flashed around her in waves that lit the room. Bruce stood frozen in the doorway, unable to look away from the strange spectacle. A shiver of fear ran down his spine as he appreciated for the first time that he was dealing with a power that was incomprehensible, something far beyond his control.

That was his last thought before the Enchantress vanished and the green aura where her body had been exploded and slammed into him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Bruce, come on!”

A voice sounded above him. He ignored it.

“Don’t make me throw cold water on your face,” Alfred said.

Bruce opened his eyes and blinked against the bright light. He winced as pain made him squeeze them shut in the next instant. Bruce covered his eyes and turned away from the light.

“What happened?” He felt strange as he was disconnected from reality. His entire body ached.

“I don’t know. I found you unconscious by Enchantress’ cage and she wasn’t there. How do you feel?”

“Horrible.” Bruce pushed himself into a sitting position with effort. “There was an explosion.”

He struggled to recall the details of the prior night. His eyes still hurt and he rubbed them with his fingertips to assuage the pain.

“The Enchantress?” Alfred asked. 

“She’s dead. No one could have survived that.” 

He recapped what he could remember, the scream, the green aura and the explosion. 

“She killed herself,” the butler said. 

“It looks that way.”

“How do you feel? Are you alright?”

Bruce struggled to open his eyes. He flinched at the discomfort the light caused. With effort, he managed to open them and stared in disbelief at the sight. 

“What’s wrong?” Alfred asked.

“My vision…”

“Can you see?”

“Yes. But everything is black, white and gray.”

Alfred tested Bruce’s vision with color cards, an eyesight chart and examined them with a pen light, only to find they were in perfect condition. 

“It’s called Achromatopsia. You’re completely color blind.” Alfred ran through a list of possible explanations of the sudden loss of color perception but Bruce didn’t pay attention. 

How and why felt irrelevant. It was what it was. Color didn’t matter. Alfred thought the reaction was odd but Bruce seemed fine so he set aside his concerns. Over the next few weeks the withdrawn demeanor became more pronounced. Bruce only spoke when asked a question and most of the time he didn’t look up from the computer. Alfred was used to his boss’ singlemindedness, but this felt different. 

Bruce felt Alfred’s eyes on him as he worked and he ignored it. A furious passion burned in his stomach. He wanted to tear things apart, set them on fire just for the pleasure of destruction and punch holes in the wall. Bone deep anger boiled inside of him every day, every night, and even in his sleep. The third week after the explosion, voices began to talk to him. First, they came in his dreams as whispers. Then they followed him into the waking hours. Pressure built inside of him as the voices, the rage and the frustration mounted. 

Batman went out that night. He’d studied the activity of the Golden Dragons street gang for the past week and had a hunch they would move black market cargo. Bruce sat in the bat mobile hidden in the shadows of the docks as he waited. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel but his breath was slow and steady. At midnight two cars pulled into the parking lot. He recognized the men that stepped out as foot soldiers of the Golden Dragons. Bruce followed them into the maze of shipping containers. They didn’t bother to check for a tail which allowed him to stalk close behind them, cloaked by the shadows. 

The leader stopped at the container on the end and two men stepped forward to undo the locks.

Bruce edged as close as he dared, eager to see what the container held. The door swung open and a stench escaped, rancid and highly distinct. It was something he’d smelled before, too many times to count. A disgusting mix of excrement, sweat, and fear. 

The Golden Dragons were moving into the human trafficking market. 

One of the soldiers stepped inside, into the darkness of the container. Cries of alarm sounded at his presence and Bruce ground his teeth. His hands curled into fists but he made himself wait. His heart began to pound as anticipation warmed his blood. Hot rage boiled inside of him. He could imagine what the women in those freighters had gone through all too well. He’d seen it a million times before and it never failed to turn his stomach. A fist connected with flesh and a scream sounded from inside the container.

One of the voices spoke, harsh and clear. Kill them. They do not deserve to live.

He exploded. His control shattered and anger broke free from its bonds. The beast he’d always kept under tight control broke out. Bruce didn’t process his actions. His body moved on instinct as he launched himself at the men closest to him. He grasped the back of their jackets and threw them into the side of the containers as if they were rag dolls. They hit the metal wall and didn’t get up. One appeared unconscious and the other clutched his knee with a groan. Three more men remained and he was on them before they managed to reach into their jackets for their weapons. A swift jab dropped the nearest man and he grabbed the other by the lapels of his jacket, swung him around and shoved him into the last man, who’d hand had closed around the butt of his gun. They stumbled together, disoriented by the speed and brutality of the sudden attack. Bruce delivered a kick to the knee cap of the first man and he dropped. His friend fell with him and Bruce caught the flash of gun metal a moment before it went off and knocked it away. The quick reaction saved his life, but the wild shot found its target in the second man’s abdomen. He cried out in pain and groaned as his last breath passed his lips. 

Bruce felt nothing, no remorse, no satisfaction, as the first man – the shooter – gasped in horror at seeing his friend dead in his arms. He slammed his foot into the man’s head and he fell to the pavement, unconscious.

He entered the container where he found the remaining gang member had acted. A woman was planted between him and Batman, like a human shield. Bruce’s lip curled and the anger deepened. His chest vibrated from the rage as he tried to hold himself back from throwing himself at the man, human shield be damned. Logic had a tenuous grasp over him. He wanted blood and he didn’t care what happened for him to get it. 

“Let the girl go.”

“No. She and I are walking out of here.” 

He had to give the man credit. His voice didn’t shake and neither did his hands as he pressed the barrel of the gun to the girl’s temple. Bruce raised his hands in surrender and took a step back. The gang member edged around him and he kept as much distance between them as the narrow confines of the shipping container would allow. Bruce let him to pass by and reach the mouth of the container. When he saw the carnage Batman had left behind, his eyes widened. It was the split-second distraction Bruce had counted on. He shot forward and grasped the gun and twisted. With a sick snap, the man’s arm broke. Bruce relished the raw scream it elicited as euphoric pleasure bloomed in his chest. He wanted the man to know pain, like these women had. He wanted to ruin him. He wanted to destroy him.

Bruce grasped the man’s hair and swung him around, into the wall of the container. He repeated the action twice more and hauled the smaller man off his feet and pounded his skull against the steel.  
The gangster went limp. Bruce snarled, furious. It wasn’t enough. He hadn’t felt enough pain yet. He would never feel enough pain to recompense the suffering he’d inflicted. 

“Bruce! Bruce!” 

Alfred. The butler shouted into his ear through the communication system.

“What?”  
“Stop. The police are on their way, you need to get out of there.”

The calm, measured tone did nothing to pacify him. He looked down at the man in his grasp. Blood ran down his face and he coughed. Blood gurgled out of his mouth and coated his lips, trickled down his broken slack jaw. The beast inside of Bruce wanted to see him crushed, to hear the screams and groans of his pain one more time. 

Kill, the voice in his head demanded. The urge to follow its prompting was like a compulsion. 

“Bruce get out of there. The police are almost there.”

He could hear the sirens in the distance and knew he should go. But it was so tempting to stay. To make these men pay in blood for what they’d done. A sob sounded from behind him and he glanced over his shoulder. The terrorized eyes of the women gleamed back at him, illuminated by the moonlight that streamed through the open container doors. 

This was wrong. It didn’t feel wrong. It felt fantastic like the heady rush of a free fall on a roller coaster. But for all his faults, Bruce knew right from wrong. What he’d done tonight went against everything he’d built Batman to represent. Bruce dropped the man and disappeared into the shadows.


	2. The Color Blue

Chapter Two: The Color Blue 

“There is no instinct like that of the heart.” – Lord Byron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two Years Later……

Her head throbbed and her feet ached. 

Bella figured she deserved the pain for what she’d put her feet through in the past few days of Fashion Week. Standing in five-inch heels for hours on end was no joke, even when it was your job. Still, it was past time for a break and she scanned the room for a place to sit. An empty barstool caught her eye and she slipped through the crowded room to claim the seat.

She put up with the aches and pains that came with modeling for the money. For most women, it wasn’t an occupation that paid well, but for her the stars had aligned. Three days after she’d started classes at Gotham University an agent had recruited her. Bella’s first thought when he’d handed her his card was that it was a scam or worse, a lure for something criminal. She had tossed the card on her desk, where it caught her roommate’s eye. It turned out the agency was one of the top modeling companies on the east coast. Since she’d been unable to find a job on campus she set up an interview with the agency. The next week she did her first catalog shoot. It paid enough to cover her bills for a month. Four years and a bachelor’s degree later she was still in the industry. 

If the well hadn’t run dry, who was she to turn down work? And her computer science degree wasn’t unused. She’d invested the money from her job and started an online web development business that had started to make a profit last year.

Bella gave the bartender her order and a moment later had a long island iced tea in her hand. The cold drink helped revive her from the room’s stuffy heat. She turned and faced the packed room. Fashion Week brought quite the crowd to Gotham. From her perch, she could see two editors of international editions of Vouge and three major designers, worth more a piece than she’d earn in a lifetime. Bella sipped her cocktail and wondered how many more fashion shows she had in her before she was replaced with someone younger. 

Perhaps Victoria would pick her off first. For the past five years the redhead had dogged her every step. Bella knew she was close by the headlines in the Gotham Gazette – reports of a serial killer were plastered on every morning paper for the past month. The most recent report listed twelve dead since May and she knew it was a matter of time. Victoria had found her. She should run - it was her only hope of survival- but she couldn’t. Gotham had been her home for four years and she didn’t want to leave. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce stood on the mezzanine and looked down at the party. 

He had no desire to be here, but Alfred had handed him a freshly dry-cleaned tuxedo and told him to make an appearance. He’d mingled for an hour and the mask of Bruce Wayne had slipped a little more with each meaningless conversation he’d suffered through. The voices in his head were a constant buzz in the background of his mind. He took care not to listen to them, letting their words flow around him as he kept his focus elsewhere. Anywhere else, just not on the seductive voices that begged him to do terrible things.

He knew where the voices had come from now. A day after the incident with the Golden Dragons foot soldiers, his hands had exploded with emerald flames. It was the same green fire the Enchantress had used. Magic. Everything made horrible, perfect sense as he’d stared down at his hands. He was possessed by the Enchantress. The rage that boiled his blood and kept him on the knife’s edge of detonation wasn’t his, it was from her. Bruce’s anger doubled when he’d realized that it was the Enchantress who’d done this to him. He was ruined, useless, after the powers had taken root. Fury blocked out all other emotions. He felt no happiness, affection, lust, fear… everything was gone. When he wasn’t in a rage apathy was all he could feel. 

His violent anger had forced him to retire Batman. Alfred made the call on the night he’d nearly beaten the Golden Dragon foot soldier to death. He’d said Bruce didn’t have the self-control to fight crime anymore and he wasn’t wrong. The bat’s disappearance caused a huge stir in Gotham that lasted months. With the recent string of homicides and a serial killer in town his absence was keenly felt by the media and the citizens.

Bruce left the mezzanine and descended the steps to the packed ballroom. He scanned the crowd and wondered how to pass the rest of the night. A model fluttered her lashes at him as he walked by but he avoided eye contact. 

He pulled out his phone and texted Alfred. How long do I have to stay?

The answer was immediate. One more hour. 

Screw this, Bruce grimaced. He needed a drink. 

The bar was in the center of the room, an island in the sea of people, and he made his way towards it. He needed something that would work fast but wasn’t in the mood for whiskey, so he settled for a bourbon on the rocks. Out of habit he scanned the people around him, his eyes searching for threats. He felt uneasy. Magic had enhanced his instincts and he didn’t question his senses. Bruce’s eyes tracked around the room as he tried to pin point the cause of his tension. 

He caught a flash of blue from the corner of his eye.

Bruce didn’t turn his head towards the flash of color. It’s an illusion, he told himself. His eyes strayed back to the blue of their own accord. Sky blue. He was looking at a sky-blue evening dress.  
It was the only pigment he could see. The background remained in black and white, as if he was looking at a color accent photograph. He studied the woman who wore the dress. She had her back to him on the opposite side of the rectangular bar and he couldn’t see her face. As he stared, other colors came into focus. Her hair transformed to a rich chestnut and her skin turned ivory when he blinked. A wave of dizziness swept over Bruce.

What it meant, he couldn’t be sure. But he wasn’t about to let the woman slip away before he talked to her. Bruce circled around the bar to the woman in the blue dress and approached her from behind. He reached her side and stopped just behind her, frozen. None of the practiced casual lines he’d once known by heart came to mind. His heartbeat pounded in his throat as he struggled to find to words to start a conversation but it was like he couldn’t remember how.

She was small. Judging her height while she was seated was difficult but he could tell she was petite. Her chestnut hair fell in waves to her waist and when she turned her head, red highlights caught the light. She was slender and he couldn’t help but imagine how it would feel to put his hands around her narrow waist. Sweat beaded on the back of his neck as an acute wave of lust washed over him. 

He took a sharp breath and tasted something sweet in the air. He inhaled again, deeper this time. A scent hung in the air, sugary and potent, rushing straight to his head like a shot of tequila. She smelled of strawberries and vanilla. The wave of lust intensified and his blood thickened as it pooled low in his belly. He held back a groan. After two years of nothing the sensations overwhelmed him. A noise must have escaped him because the woman turned. Bruce stared into her bright caramel eyes and his muscles clenched with need. She was stunning. Soft waves framed her face and her eyes were thickly lashed. He could have done without the excessive mascara and eyeliner, but the heavy makeup didn’t distract from her beauty. Her nose was straight and small and her lips were painted scarlet. Saliva flooded his mouth as he anticipated finding out what color they were when he kissed off the lipstick. She was so beautiful he didn’t think he’d ever seen anything like her before in real life.

He sought to cover the awkwardness of the moment and offered her his hand.

“Bruce Wayne,” he said with a smile.

“Bella,” she replied. 

When she took his hand, electricity arced between them. Bella gave a soft gasp at the unexpected heat and her eyes widened. Bruce tightened his grip to prolong the contact. When he released her hand, the warmth went with it. 

“Business or pleasure?” 

She blinked. “What?”

“Are you here for business or pleasure,” he asked.

“Business,” she said and straightened her spine as she visibly pulled herself together. 

“What kind?” 

“I’m modeling for Yves Saint Laurent.”

“Ah, you’re not here by choice. Same,” he said with a roughish smile.

She relaxed and returned the smile. “And why are you here?”

She didn’t recognize him. For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond. Then he realized her ignorance was a good thing – if she didn’t know who he was, she wouldn’t have any expectations of him. “Scheduled personal appearance,” he said. “So, tell me about yourself, Bella.”

Bella stared up at the handsome man and wondered why he had bothered to talk to her. She could tell he was someone important by the way he carried himself and the expensive gray suit he wore. Her heart hammered in her chest as they made small talk. It had been sped up when their hands touched and hadn’t slowed down yet. She tried to tell herself it was pheromones, but it was impossible to ignore the chemistry between them. He leaned closer to hear her over the music and chatter and she had to take a deep breath to steady herself. The sandalwood undertones of his cologne teased her nose. She reached for her drink to soothe her dry throat and grabbed his forearm by accident. Electricity sparked again and a shiver ran down her spine. Butterflies took off in her stomach and her eyes shot to his. Carnal knowledge sparkled in them. She could tell he knew what she was feeling. Her face flamed. Bella hoped the thick layer of foundation hid the rising color, but his pleased smile made her doubt it. 

“What are we doing?”

The words escaped before she could stop them. Her face burned. He stepped closer, so their bodies brushed against each other. His hands slid around her waist and pulled her flush against him. His towering height forced her to angle her head back to meet his eyes.

“Getting to know each other before we take this farther,” Bruce said softly.

Bella swallowed. To hear it spoken aloud made it real. The chemistry between them was undeniable, but her mind hadn’t gone to sex. Now it did, as blood rushed to her groin and her nipples pebbled against the material of her dress. She could feel them contract in anticipation and her thighs clenched. Goosebumps broke out on her skin even as heat swelled inside of her.

Bella was horrified.

There hadn’t been anyone since Edward. Jake had expressed his interest but she’d never managed to reciprocate. Her heart didn’t want anyone else. She was still asked out on occasion but had never accepted the invitations. Now she was in the arms of a man she’d known less than ten minutes and he’d incited more passion in her than any man before him, Edward included.  
Her body tingled from Bruce’s closeness. How had this happened? She’d sworn off men years ago. Aside from the fact that she didn’t want anyone else, she was terrified to risk her heart again. It was all she could do to move on from the devastation Edward had wreaked on her heart. A one-night wasn’t in the cards for her; she was a twenty-three-year-old virgin. The slim chance he might notice was too embarrassing to be considered.

Bella opened her mouth to speak, but Bruce hushed her with a finger over her lips.

“Shh,” he said gently. “Bella, this is going to sound clichéd, but you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” His hand slid under her chin and he tilted her face up to look her in the eye. “We won’t do anything you don’t want to, but I think I might die if I don’t get a taste of you.”

People milled around them, lost in their own conversations. Bella was entrapped by Bruce’s eyes as he lowered his head to hers. Their mouths met and then his tongue invaded her mouth. Bella couldn’t stop herself. She opened her lips and let him devour her. His tongue flicked over hers and then returned to stroke in an easy, languid pattern. His hands slid into her hair and closed over the back of her skull and she shivered with desire. Her hands glided over his chest and she felt the hardness of his muscles, palpable even under the suit jacket and dress shirt. Bruce broke the kiss. He looked astonished and his breath was ragged. Frustration narrowed his eyes. Bella could relate. Her heart was pounding and all the nerves and hormones in her body demanded more.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said.

Bruce didn’t wait for her to answer. He took her by the elbow and helped her down from the barstool. Bella let him guide her through the room towards the exit, taking what felt like three steps to his one. His arm gripped her waist as they wound through the crowd. Bruce didn’t slow down as they strode by the valet. His vehicle was somehow already waiting for them, and he opened the door to the low-slung car for her. 

“Where do you want to go?” Bruce asked as they pulled away. “My apartment is close, but if you’d feel more comfortable at your place-”

“Your apartment is fine,” Bella said. 

She was too cautious to let him know where she lived. The haze of desire hadn’t let her forget that Victoria was somewhere out in the city, on the hunt for her. She would kill Bruce if she thought it would hurt Bella, out of spite. Bella didn’t know him but she wouldn’t put him at risk. Victoria drew closer with every minute. The best that Bella could do was make the most of her final days. She snuck a side glace at Bruce and excitement curled in the pit of her stomach. If this wasn’t how you made the most of it, what was?


	3. Taking Chances

Chapter Three: Taking Chances

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”- Elizabeth Appell

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They drove for a few blocks before Bruce turned left at a stoplight and into the underground parking garage of an apartment complex.

On the short ride, Bella’s mind strayed to her lack of experience. The right thing to do would be to tell him she was a virgin, but she couldn’t. This was only for one night. He wouldn’t be able to tell. All to Cosmo articles said it was impossible. Women didn’t bleed their first time, did they? But even if she didn’t, wouldn’t her reactions be a dead giveaway? She understood how everything worked in theory, but she’d never progressed past a kiss. Edward’s razor-sharp venomous teeth had stopped further exploration and she’d never really made out with him. Anxiety began to set in. Bruce pulled into a reserved spot next to the elevator and cut the engine.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Good,” Bruce murmured. He leaned over the consul and kissed her. His tongue plundered her mouth and his hands framed her face. Bella felt the roughness of his stubble and leaned into him and flicked her tongue against his. He groaned. She reached for him but he pulled away.

“We need a bed.”

Bella nodded. There was terrible tension in her stomach, a kind of arousal she’d never felt before. Bruce wrenched his door open and came around the bonnet to take her hand. At the elevator, he scanned his fingerprint and the doors slid open. Inside the first thing she noticed was the mirrored doors that reflected their image. Bruce towered behind her like a predator. His arms slid around her waist and he pulled her back flush to his chest.

“Are you on birth control?”

“Yes, the shot.”

She watched their reflections, entranced, as he lowered his head to her neck. His huge hands spread open and stroked her stomach. The touch heated her blood and the coiled lust became painful. His mouth brushed her neck softly, like he had all the time in the world to tease her.

“Breathe,” he whispered.

Bella gasped and sucked in a desperate breath. Bruce lifted his head just enough to meet her gaze in the mirror. His satisfied smile spoke volumes. Bella shut her eyes and focused on breathing as Bruce’s hand fisted in her hair and forced her head back so he could lick her pulse point. Bella gasped at the rough movement and then moaned. The flick of his tongue over the sensitive skin of her throat sent pulses of electricity straight to her clit. Her knees trembled and her legs felt weak. His other hand slid up to her breast to cradle it in his palm. The built-in bra of her evening gown was no barrier at all. She arched into his hand. Blood pounded in her veins and her clit throbbed. Bruce’s teeth scraped against her skin and she whimpered.

“Bruce.”

“I’ve got you,” he promised. The elevator stopped and the doors opened to reveal an apartment.

Not an apartment, Bella corrected herself. A penthouse. Bruce sung her up in his arms with no discernable effort and her thoughts scattered. She clung to his shoulders for balance as he strode through a set of double doors to the master suite. He set her on her feet but didn’t release her from the prison of his arms. Instead he tightened his hold and drew her against him. In this position, she was acutely aware of their differences. He was more than a foot taller than her and she could feel the hard ridges of his muscles pressed against her. 

“What do you want?” Bruce asked. 

“You.”

It was the permission he’d sought. She rose on her tip toes to meet him halfway for the kiss and moaned when his tongue entered her mouth. His hands cupped the back of her head and their mouths battled for dominance. He nipped the tip of her tongue and the bite of pain heightened the need inside of her.

“Please,” she begged. Her hands grasped the lapels of his jacket. “More.”

Bruce’s eyes danced with fire as he stared down at her. He took her off guard when he leaned down and dropped a gentle kiss on her lips. Then he pushed her backwards. Bella toppled onto the bed as Bruce caught the hem of her gown. In one motion, he pulled it over her head, leaving her naked.

The cool air on her skin startled her.

“Nothing?”

Belatedly, she realized he referred to her lack of undergarments.

“The dress has a built-in bra and the material shows panty lines.” 

“If I’d known you weren’t wearing anything under that dress, we’d have been out of there in half the time.”

He undid the bow tie on his tux and removed his jacket, shirt and belt. His eyes never strayed from her face as he undressed, but she didn’t feel the need to cover herself. The lust in his eyes chased away her earlier chill and left her skin flushed. He kept his pants on but settled himself over her, taking care not to crush her with his weight. His mouth lowered to hers and he kissed her thoroughly. Bella pushed up on her elbows to meet him. His hands cupped her breasts and she sighed at the unfamiliar sensation.

“Bruce,” she murmured

Bruce purred. “So impatient.” 

Her body was on fire as his fingers caught her nipple and gave a light tug. He rolled each one in turn, stroked them and brushed the pads of his thumbs over the hard peaks. Molten flames of lust curled inside of her. Bella arched her back and whimpered. Then his tongue followed his hands. A firestorm built inside of her as his mouth closed around her nipple. His tongue swept over the hard peak and his teeth scraped over the sensitive flesh. Each caress sent a pulse of electricity through her. Bella groaned as a shudder ran through her and her hips twisted, seeking relief. Bruce settled himself lower to stymy her movements. He continued his merciless assault of her breasts. His treatment was repeated on each side. Lick. Nip. Suck. Switch to the other breast and do it again. 

Callused hands were everywhere as he stroked and rubbed and tormented her.

“Please!!” Bella gasped. Her body withered under him. “Bruce!”

He gave a pleased grunt and kissed each nipple before he moved on. Bruce licked a slow path down her torso towards her most vulnerable area. As she imagined what came next, Bella whimpered. Eagerness and fear of the unknown warred inside of her. The sensations he had unleashed stunned her, and she wasn’t sure how much more she could take. Bruce seemed to sense her distress and paused. He pried her fingers from the material of the bedsheet and threaded their fingers together. The warmth of his hand in hers steadied her. He licked gently around her most sensitive part. Bella shifted and rolled her hips to try and relieve the lust that was almost painful. She felt Bruce’s breath on her clit as he waited for her to still. She panted and her inner muscles pulsated, quivered and clenched. She was right on the edge of a climax.

She sobbed and rocked against his mouth when he flicked his tongue over her. Then, with no warning, he sucked savagely on her clit. Pleasure raced through every nerve in her body. Everything faded away and she was thrown into a world where only sensation existed. Her orgasm overwhelmed her as her body convulsed and shook. Bruce laved his tongue over the tender flesh, drew her clit into his mouth and nipped at it with his teeth. The tension on her body stretched tighter and tighter until she screamed. Her body bowed off the bed as her heels dug into the mattress and her toes curled.

When her orgasm finished, Bruce crawled up her body to blanket her with his larger form. She looked stunned by the force of her orgasm. He kissed her tenderly to reassure her. She leaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He could feel that her tremble against him and drew out their kiss to give her time to recover. He rubbed his tongue over hers, nibbled at her lips and held her until she’d settled. Her mouth was swollen, her hair rumpled and her eyes damp. She looked like a woman who’d been made love to already. He rose to his knees, his hands going to the zipper of his pants and she licked her lips in anticipation. At the sight of him her eyes widened. Bruce knew he was well endowed but her surprise delighted him. He took a condom from the box in the bedside table and donned it. 

“How do you want it,” Bruce asked. He could feel his control begin to crack and struggled to rein himself in.

“On my knees with you behind me.”

He was surprised at the impersonal position but followed her direction and helped her roll to her knees. Bruce pushed her legs apart to make room for himself as he knelt behind her. With his fingers, he tested her readiness to make sure she was wet enough to take him. She was tight, but he rationalized that she was young. Her hips were as slender as the rest of her and as he worked his fingers in and out of her he realized it would take some force for him to enter her. He swirled his fingers inside of her to loosen the taunt muscles. Bella moaned and pressed herself into his hand. Bruce took her response as a sign she was ready and situated himself at her entrance. She was wet and soft, but her narrow channel protested his invasion.

His control shattered. His hips jerked forwards and he plunged deep inside of her in one hard thrust. Bella yelped but he couldn’t stop. The moment he’d entered her his restraint had broken. His body set a vicious rhythm that knocked her knees out from under her and she pitched forward onto her stomach. He pumped in and out of her, wild and rough. Bella lay prone under him, trapped by his weight as he braced his forearm over her back so she couldn’t move. The unforgiving pace made her cry out and she seized around him, her orgasm surprising them both.

“Yes, come for me,” Bruce snarled as her muscles milked at his cock. Her orgasm triggered his own and he felt himself shudder as his own release was ripped from him. He buried himself as deep as he could inside of her with an animalistic growl. He didn’t have the strength to roll off her when it was over.

He lay there and panted like he’d just ran a four-minute mile. Bruce stifled a groan at the tight wetness he was still encased in. It took a minute for him to recover enough to move and he then became aware of Bella motionless and limp underneath him. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder as he carefully separated their bodies and moved off her. The dark room prevented him from seeing her but he could tell she was almost asleep. 

Guilt prickled at his conscious for the rough way he’d handled her body. Only the knowledge that she’d found her own release soothed him. Still, he needed to hear it out loud. 

“Bella? Are you okay?”

She gave a soft sigh. “Wonderful.”

He disposed of the condom, wrapped himself around her and fell asleep within seconds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunlight woke him the next morning. For the first time in two years there were no dark voices to whisper horrible things in his ear. It was quiet. Bruce turned his face into the pillow and tried to savor the peace, unsure of how long it would last. He reached for Bella, but his hand met emptiness. He raised his head to see her side of the bed was vacant. Bruce sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He didn’t hear the shower and wondered if she was in the kitchen. When he threw off the sheets, he noticed what was missing. The sky-blue evening gown was gone and so were her heeled sandals. Bella had left. 

His heart clenched as a wave of anguish washed over him. An unnatural pain blinded him and his chest ached with a profound sense of loss. No, he rejected the discomfort. She wasn’t gone. He could find her. He would find her. Bella was his, he knew it with absolute certainty. Why else would seeing her bring him back to life, to make him feel and see color again?   
It was only a matter of time before he found her, Bruce promised himself as he strode to the window and looked out over the city. Gotham was a big place but no one eluded him for long. He turned back to the bed and took in the rumpled white sheets with satisfaction. It wouldn’t be long before they were back here, burning up the sheets again, this time with her knowing full and well which man she belonged to. When he found Bella, he’d keep her in his bed for a month until he was all she could remember.

A stain on the under sheet caught his attention obscured from view by the covers. He pushed the covers aside to investigate and revealed a dark red spot. Blood. No, Bruce thought, horrified at the sight. He tried to rationalize the bloodstain. She’d started her cycle. But she was on the shot, which stopped menstruation. Nausea cramped his stomach as he remembered the snugness of her body last night and everything clicked into place. She’d been a virgin.

His guts twisted and he dropped into the arm chair by the bed, his head in his hands. He’d hurt her. His mind replayed the crude way he’d handled her body last night and he flinched at the memory. The bloodstained sheet mocked him, the evidence of his mistreatment of her laid plain in the morning sunlight. Guilt washed over him. Anger swelled to take its place. Why hadn’t she warned him? If she had, would he have been able to control himself?

The moment he’d entered her all reason had vanished and he’d become someone else, uncivilized and feral. Her tight body had knocked the sentience from his brain and reduced him to basic instincts. The memory alone made his mouth run dry.

He had to find her and make her his. Her absence made him feel hollow and desolate. He needed her back. Bruce stared at the bloodstain and wondered if it was normal for a virgin to bleed. His heart constricted and he took a deep breath to steady himself against the pain. Why hadn’t she warned him? A terrifying thought crossed his mind. Had she left because of what he’d done? Fear sank in as he turned over the possibility in his mind. He wouldn’t blame her if she was afraid of him after the way he’d treated her. Bruce’s jaw tightened. No, he couldn’t handle that. He needed her. She had healed him, somehow, from the Enchantress’ curse and he wouldn’t let her go. He would find her and he would fix this - anything else was incomprehensible.


	4. Actions and Consequences

Chapter Four: Actions and Consequences 

“Loneliness is proof that your innate search for connection is intact.” - Martha Beck 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bella was harder to track down than he’d expected. 

It turned out there were dozens of modeling agencies that staffed Fashion Week. He had managed to narrow his search to the Yves Saint Laurent show she mentioned being in and then discovered that YSL had hired an astronomical number of models for the event. Of course, they hadn’t separated the models by which shows they worked, so he’d combed through hundreds of headshots before he found her. Isabella Dwyer, registered to IGT models. It appeared luck was on his side when he saw that her next booking was one he’d been sent tickets to. Before he left the house, Bruce skimmed through her file and one detail jumped out at him. Her age. She was twenty-three which gave them a seventeen-year age difference. 

Bruce wasn’t a man prone to insecurity. As a multibillionaire, he ranked among the world’s wealthiest men. He was attractive and intelligent, a combination that bred confidence. The sudden apprehension he felt was outside of his realm of experience. But he couldn’t get past the idea that was about to pursue a relationship with a woman young enough to be his daughter. Had this been a temporary arrangement he doubted the age gap would have bothered him. But he wanted Bella on a permanent basis, where they’d be seen together and people would know they were a couple. If he was going to claim her he would have to deal with how their relationship would look to the public, and accept their judgment.

He sat in the front row of the show and watched emaciated women strut down the runway in ridiculous outfits and stopped to wonder if he wasn’t lucky she wasn’t younger than twenty-three. Most of the girls here were still in their teens. After an eternity, he saw her. She wore an evening gown, this one deep purple. As she stepped on the runway the material gleamed under the bright lights. The dress’ hem was cut asymmetrically to show off her silver sandals and slender calves, with a long train that dragged behind her for several feet. It was the final piece of the show, he realized. Jealousy roared to life as he saw a man in the front row lean forward to stare after her as she waked past. His hands curled into fist and his lips pressed together. He wanted to whisk her away from the leering gazes of the crowd. When she turned at the end of the runway, he saw why the man had gawked. The back of her dress, what little there was of it, was an elaborately laced corset. Saliva pooled in his mouth at the sight and desire heated his blood. He wanted to undo those laces like he wanted his next breath. 

The models took a last lap around the runway in a single file line. Bella walked last, on the arm of the designer. The man was fat, old and balding but black jealously curled in Bruce’s chest. Something inside of him shifted and his self-control wavered. Rage flared to life and boiled angry and hot as the designer laughed and kissed Bella’s cheek before they vanished behind the curtain. 

Bruce stalked to the men’s room where he splashed cool water on his face and tried to calm his temper. His guts were in knots and his stomach ached with the combined tension of jealousy and anger. A persistent lust which hadn’t left him since he’d seen Bella last night warred with the violent emotions. The beast inside of him pulled on its chain and demanded that he claim her. Disgusted, Bruce splashed his face again and forced himself to ignore the primitive urges. Bella deserved better than this.

He needed a new plan. 

The calm, rational conversation he’d intended to have with her required for him to be in control. He would scare her off in this state. Bruce looked at himself in the mirror. Glassy eyes rimmed with red stared back and dark circles marred his under eyes. Iron clad willpower was all that held his composure together. A humorless chuckle escaped as Bruce appreciated the irony that with no effort, this woman had brought him to his knees. 

He faced his reflection and tried to reason with the image. 

You will not pounce on her. You will not throw her over your shoulder and drag her away.

His dark side howled in protest and a wave of rage washed over him. Was it his own anger or the magic inside of him trying to take over? Bruce tasted copper and realized that he’d bitten through the side of his cheek. He spat blood into the sink and shook his head to clear his mind. The door opened and two men entered, their voices loud and animated. Bruce slipped out of the men’s room. The sound of their voices grated on him and in his current state, he didn’t trust himself. Who knew what might trigger him? Enmity swirled in his chest and he could feel his hard-won control slipping away. 

He needed Bella. She could make this stop, just like she had last night.

The after party was across the street in a trendy nightclub he’d visited before. The bouncer recognized him and waved him past the line into the overcrowded club. Bruce made his way to the back of the club and situated himself at the bar where he had a view of the throng of party goers. He ordered a gin and tonic and scanned the room for Bella. She wasn’t there yet so he nursed his drink and waited for her to arrive. Ten minutes later his patience paid off. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and he knew she was here. His eyes were drawn to her across the crowded room.

Bella stood on the stairs with the designer. They seemed to be saying goodbye and she hugged him again before she proceeded up the stairs. Bruce drained the rest of his drink and followed.

At the base of the stairs an over muscled security guard stopped him. 

“No guests upstairs.” 

Bruce’s eyes narrowed and he glowered down at the man. Magic roiled violently inside of him and his body went ridged as power threatened to break free. He forced it down, but it was a struggle. His fists itched to lay the man out. The security guard’s eyes widened at whatever he saw on Bruce’s face. He took a step back and raised his hands in surrender.

“Do whatever you want man,” the guard said.

On the second floor Bruce headed in the direction he’d seen Bella go. He rounded the corner into a hallway lined with doors, all of them closed. Bruce paused and listened for footsteps but it was quiet. He frowned, questioning if he’d gone the wrong direction. A crash sounded from a room at the end of the hall and then a cry of pain. 

He followed the sound to the last room and found Bella picking herself up off the floor. Bruce caught her by the elbow and helped her to her feet. She gasped in surprise and almost fell again when she saw him. He looked down and realized she was missing a shoe. 

“Are you alright?” he asked. She still looked unsteady and Bruce kept a hold of her arm to help her balance.

Bella stared up at him, bewildered. “What are you doing here?”

Bruce played dumb. “I heard someone yell and came to see if they were okay.”

“I mean how did you get into the dressing room? It’s supposed to be private.”

He glanced around and noted the racks of clothing. It appeared these rooms had been off limits for good reason.

“I guess you should hire better security,” he said without a twinge of guilt. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine, I just can’t be trusted to walk in heels.”

He raised an eyebrow. She seemed to read his expression and sighed. 

“I manage on the runway. After is another story.” She tugged on her arm, a polite message to him to let go, which he ignored. Bella pursed her lips. “I’m going to say it’s too much of a coincidence for us to run into each other twice in less than two days.”

“You’d be right,” Bruce replied. “You disappeared on me pretty quickly last night.”

“I had places to be.” 

“Really?” His sarcasm was plain. Bella’s chin went up and she glared at him. 

“Yes. Sort of like I do now, if you’ll excuse me.” 

She moved to turn away but caught her heel on the train of her dress. Stumbling forward she fell into his chest and he caught her in his arms. Bella tried to squirm away, and her wiggling caused his body to react. Blood rushed through his arteries, his heart picked up speed and his groin ached. Bruce shifted his weight to relieve the sudden pressure and his pelvis brushed up against her. Bella froze.

Son of a bitch. He was probably scaring her, given what he’d done last night.

“Sorry sweetheart.”

It would have been appropriate to let her go, but he didn’t. Instead he decided to press his advantage. “So, do you think maybe there’s something you want to tell me about last night? Something you should have mentioned before we slept together?”

She stiffened in his arms.

“No,” Bella snapped. She met his gaze with a challenging look.

“Are you certain,” Bruce probed, his tone deceivingly soft. He felt her tremble and relented. “I know you were a virgin.”

He could see that the revelation rattled her.

“How?”

“You bled. I nearly had a heart attack in the morning and when I tried to rationalize it I remembered you were on the shot. I wondered if I’d hurt you and then everything clicked.”

“Damn it.”

“Why?” Bruce asked. 

“Umm…. hormones?” Bella said, as if she was asking him.

“I know why people sleep together.” 

He’d meant to ask why she had been a virgin but decided to let the question go. Much of his day had been spent mulling over the possible reasons and none of them were good. Right now, he had more important questions.

“Did I hurt you?” Bruce asked. 

“No!”

He found her answer unconvincing. “Are you sure?”

Bella relented. “Only at first. It’s not like it could have been avoided. After that everything was fine.”

“Fine?” He couldn’t help but feel insulted.

Bella rolled her eyes. “Wonderful, amazing, unbelievable – the best I’ve ever had.” She fluttered her lashes in mockery as sarcasm dripped from every word.

He couldn’t help but smile. “I could have done better if I’d been forewarned.”

Excitement flickered in her eyes along with something that troubled him – apprehension. 

“What’s wrong?”

Bella hesitated and a tense moment hung between them.

“Now might not be the best time,” she said.

A scowl darkened Bruce’s face. “Why?”

She blushed. “I might be a bit sore.”

Right. Of course she was sore. How could she not be? “I’m sorry, honey.” 

She pulled away from him and this time he let her go.

His arms felt empty without her and he wanted to cross the distance and pull her in his arms. It was soul deep desire that had nothing to do with lust. He felt lust for her in spades, but she seemed to hold an elusive power over him that he couldn’t name. That emotion drew him to her as much as the intense desire she inspired.

Bella took a seat at the cluttered vanity and turned her back to him as she bent to work off her other sandal. He watched her undo the buckle and set the shoe aside.   
She sat back and looked up at him with curiosity. 

“Why are you here? If you came just to confront me about being a virgin, I apologize for my deception.” Her lips twisted into an ironic smile. “I can promise it will never happen again.”

With that, she turned back to the mirror, opened a container of makeup wipes and started to remove her cosmetics.

Bruce was stunned. First, by her casual dismissal of him and second, that she would take off her makeup in front of him. His last relationship had been more than ten years ago, and the woman had slept in her cosmetics so he wouldn’t see her without them. 

“I want to make it up to you,” Bruce said. 

Bella met his gaze in the mirror and paused. Half of her foundation had been removed and he noted the skin underneath was even more perfect than the product made it appear. 

“There’s nothing to make up for. Besides, that’s not really an option,” she said in reference to her soreness.

“You’re missing the point. I want to give you a better initiation.”

“It was fine.”

“It could have been better. I want a redo.”

Bella snorted and reached for a jar of moisturizer. She watched him in the mirror and he could read her thoughts on her face. This man is crazy.

She wasn’t wrong, since ninety percent of his argument had been made up on the spot. It was bullshit and sounded like it, but he didn’t care so long as she came home with him.

“Fine. But before we go, can you-”

He cut her off. “Yes.”

“You can’t just say yes, I could be asking for anything!”

He’d have signed over Wayne Enterprises on the spot to get her to back to the estate. When he got her there, he’d deal with the issue of how to keep her there. Right now, all he needed was an initial agreement. He waited.

“The stylist who’s supposed to get me out of this thing has disappeared. Do you mind?”

She pulled her hair over her shoulder and stood, her back turned to him. 

Bruce’s mouth went dry, something it hadn’t done since he was a teenager. He flashed back to the show when he’d wanted nothing more than to undo this corset. It looked like he had gotten his wish. He reached for the ties and struggled to think over the sound of his heartbeat in his ears. Her skin looked creamy and tempting. He remembered the soft warm feel of it under his hands and the way it turned pink when he sucked on it. A shiver ran down his spine. This woman need to be in quarantine; she was intoxicating. 

His hands were unsteady as he worked on the knotted ties. He tugged on the laces and nothing happened. Then he realized there were two sets of ties, both double knotted, at the top and bottom of the garment. Carefully he undid the top layer and then the laces under that. Bella let out a relieved groan when the restrictive garment fell away. 

When he got a good look at the state of her back, his lust was squelched by fury.

“Son of a bitch!”

Her back was crisscrossed by angry red marks, as if someone had whipped her. The impressions cut deeply into her skin in the same pattern of the laces. 

“Did that thing do this?”

“The dress was supposed to be worn by a model who’s two sizes smaller than me, but she had a family emergency.” 

“Couldn’t they have picked someone who fit into the dress without being maimed,” Bruce said as he stroked the painful looking abrasions. They were ugly and raw. He wanted to find the stylist and beat him for this. “How long were you wearing this thing?”

“I was the right coloring for the dress. The designer had a specific vision of how it would look on the runway.”

“How long,” Bruce demanded as his hands explored the extent of the damage. The marks ran from under her shoulder blade to her low back. 

“A few hours.”

He bit back the brutal opinion he wanted to give of the stylist, designer and anyone else that had put her in that horrid corset. Just looking at the deep marks he knew they’d take days to fade. 

“Why don’t we go back to my place and see what I can do about this?”


	5. A Disappearing Act

Chapter Five: Disappearing Act

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.” – George MacDonald

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She had lost her mind. Given the evidence, it was the only logical conclusion. 

Last night she’d done the right thing and left Bruce’s apartment before dawn. There had been a tingle of guilt because it felt rude, but it was just a one-night stand. She couldn’t afford connections that would put someone else at risk. Experience had taught her Victoria wasn’t above hurting the people around her. She’d underestimated the sadistic woman before and had lived with the consequences. Going through that again – the guilt, horror, and pain – wasn’t an option. Yet here she was, letting Bruce lead her into his house even as Victoria was closing in on her. This afternoon the news had reported another murder and attributed it to the “Gotham Vampire.” 

Bella smiled. If only they knew how accurate the moniker was.

Bruce’s home was a master piece of modernist architecture. Bella wondered how rich you’d have to be to afford a penthouse downtown and an estate in the country. She followed him down the stairs to the basement level and into a bathroom that could have passed for a spa. Her entire apartment in East End would have fit in it, with room to spare. Bruce filled the hammock style bathtub with water and poured in Epsom salts in the water, making it froth.

“Strip,” he said, without so much as a glance in her direction. 

Bella paused. Did she trust him? She’d already trusted him with her body and it had been amazing. But letting him take care of her felt different. Intimate. A little bit dangerous.   
She stripped out of her t-shirt and jeans and toed off her ancient converse. After all, she’d come this far and her back and feet throbbed. Bella peeled off her undergarments and let him take her hand to help her into the bath.

With a relieved sigh, Bella sank down into the warm water. Her eyes slid shut and she felt every ache rise to the surface. Her feet were raw and she could feel the blisters that had begun to form on her toes. The ball of her foot burned in the most unpleasant way from the stilettos she’d worn all day. When the water touched her back she flinched. The damage must be worse than she’d imagined - Bruce’s reaction to seeing it had certainly been overblown. 

“Roll over,” Bruce said.

Without opening her eyes, she did so. Something cold and wet touched her abraded skin. The solution burned on contact and she gasped.

“Shhhh. It’ll help, give it a second.”

Bella grit her teeth against the discomfort. After a moment, the burning stopped, replaced with a cool feeling.

“Better?”

“Much,” she said. Bella looked over her shoulder at him. A jar mason jar of milky liquid was in his hands. “What is that?”

“Aloe. My butler keeps a plant here and makes it himself. He swears by this stuff for cuts and burns.”

“It’s amazing,” Bella told him. She folded her arms and lay her head on them. The hammock design of the tub allowed her to relax without putting her face in the water. Bruce’s hands ran over her back as he rubbed the solution into her skin in a circular pattern. His touch was soothing and she felt herself drifting off as he massaged her back. Bruce let her doze as he stroked the angry marks, careful to avoid irritating the tender skin. He washed her hair and body as she rested.

“Sweetheart?”

Bruce’s voice woke her and she realized she’d drifted off. Bella pushed herself out of the water, her mind still hazy with sleep. Her hair had been washed and the aches and pains had faded. His arms went around her waist and she protested. 

“You’ll get wet.” Bella put up an arm to ward him off. 

He ignored her and lifted her out of the water into his arms. Her feet hit the soft rug and a towel was wrapped around her body. She grasped it to her just as another towel settled over her head and Bruce began to dry her hair. When he was done, he finger-combed her hair and dried her body. He handed her one of his dress shirts that fell to her knees, which she put on.

“You didn’t have to do all of this,” Bella said as she followed him upstairs to the living room. 

“I wanted to.”

He led her to the couch and when she sat down next to him he pulled her onto his lap. Before she could object to his proprietary handling he pressed a button on the side table and the windows of the house turned opaque. Bella looked around, amazed at the sudden change. 

“How did you do that?”

“The house has smart glass technology. Liquid crystals can turn the glass dark for privacy.” 

Bella raised an eyebrow at him. “Privacy?”

He leaned down, giving her plenty of time to pull away before his lips brushed against hers. His hand wandered up the inside of her thigh as his lips moved over hers. Bella’s legs fell open willingly, despite her nervousness. Bruce made a soft rumble of approval, but surprised her when his hand slid to the right and skimmed over her hip, up towards her breast. He palmed the soft weight and she relaxed into his gentle touch. His tongue probed her lips for entrance and she welcomed the intrusion. Bruce leaned down, forcing her to lie back over his forearm. In this position, he was in control. Her hands sank into the thick strands of his hair as their mouths danced together. She couldn’t get enough of him. His fingers undid the buttons of the shirt and suddenly the cool air of the room touched her bare skin. Without pausing the kiss, Bruce’s hand returned to her breast. Bella sighed against his mouth as he pinched and rolled her nipple. Each gentle manipulation was more pleasurable than the last and she arched into his hand.

The kiss, the teasing of his hands, it was all becoming too much. She squirmed on his lap, desperate for more. 

“Bruce,” she begged. Though she was sore, Bella wondered if it might be worth the discomfort to fulfill her body’s demands.

“Lie back and relax,” he said.

Bella settled deeper into his hold. Bruce had her cradled in his arms now. He paused and his eyes swept over her body as his hand skimmed over her torso. He traced her narrow ribcage, the indenture of her waist and splayed his hand over her belly. Then he slid lower to settle his hand between her legs. She sighed and pressed herself into his fingers when he brushed his thumb over her clit. Bruce watched her reactions, entranced by the expressions that played out over her face as he inserted a finger into her channel. The hot, velvety passage welcomed him with a spasm that aided his penetration. His thumb found her clit, stroking the sensitive nub as his fingers began to move inside of her. Bella threw her head back and her hips rolled, an invitation offered by her body that she couldn’t control. As he built a slow, steady rhythm she whimpered and he felt a tremor run through her. 

“That’s my girl,” Bruce praised. She spasmed around his finger and he slipped another digit into her narrow channel. He could feel her stretch to accommodate the addition.

“Please,” Bella panted. She shifted her weight and wiggled on his lap. Bruce tightened his arm around her.

“There’s no rush,” he said as his fingers sank deeper into her. Bella groaned, her disagreement palpable. 

When he curled his fingers inside of her she jerked in his arms and gasped, grabbing the material of his shirt. He began to pump his fingers in and out of her harder and faster. Her inner muscles rippled around him and he knew she was close.

“Bruce!” she cried out when he curled his fingers and stroked her clit at the same time. 

He watched, fascinated as her composure shattered. Her hips bucked and gyrated against his hand. She thrashed in his arms as the orgasm tore through her, her inner muscles undulating around his fingers. His eyes remained fixed to her face through it all, watching the contortions of her features. When the trembling eased she slumped against his chest, her breath coming in short pants. He cuddled her to his chest and slipped his fingers out of her. She shuddered.

“Sorry honey.”

“Sensitive,” Bella gasped. Another shudder ran through her.

He cupped his palm over the sensitive flesh between her legs. Bella’s legs still shook and she’d buried her face in his shoulder. Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders so tightly she clung to him. He felt her quivering and nuzzled the top of her head, comforting her. He was an experienced man and he knew more about sex than most. Over the years, he’d managed to give his bed partners some spectacular orgasms, but none had approached Bella. No other woman could compare. 

“Well I guess you delivered on your promise,” Bella said into his shoulder.

“That was all you,” he said. Bruce tilted her face up. “You’re the most responsive woman I’ve ever been with.”

A pink flush spread over her cheeks and she looked embarrassed. She buried her face in his shoulder again. He smiled and petted her hair. When he touched her, she was so uninhibited, yet when it was over her hang ups returned. 

“It’s a compliment.”

No reply. He considered telling her she’d ruined him for all other women and then bit his tongue. The last thing he wanted was to scare her off. 

Bella refused to look at Bruce. Thankfully he let her hide her face in his shoulder as she struggled to pull herself together. She’d heard other women describe their orgasms, read books and none of it had prepared her for the real thing. Nothing could have prepared her for the frenzied explosion of sensation she’d just experienced.

“Are you okay?” Bruce asked.

“Yes. It was intense.” Bella took a deep breath and shifted to a sitting position, draped across Bruce’s lap.

His hand cupped her face. “That’s not a bad thing. The chemistry we have together is special.”

Bella smiled in response and slid off his lap to stand in front of him. “Take off your shirt.”

Surprised, yet pleased, he unfastened the buttons and pulled it off. Bella leaned down, her hands braced on his thighs, to kiss him. He slid his hands into her hair, twisting the long strands in his fingers as their tongues danced. Bella turned her head to break away from his mouth and began trailing kisses down his throat when it dawned on him where this was going.

“You don’t have to-” Bruce said, only to be cut off by Bella’s sharp look. He swallowed hard as he felt all the blood in his body rush south. But he tried again. “Have you ever done this before?”

Her lack of experience troubled him now. He didn’t want her to feel pressured into doing something she was uncomfortable with just to please him. At the same time, every instinct he had begged him to shut up and let her continue. 

“I haven’t. But there’s no time like the present to learn,” she said, her hands working to undo his belt buckle.

The intent look on her face killed any anxieties he’d had.

Bruce undid his slacks for her and slid them off in one motion with his boxers. Bella licked her lips and knelt in front of him. His eyes wouldn’t blink as he watched her lower her head and wrap her lips around the tip. A deep groan escaped him and his whole body shuddered as the wet heat of her mouth closed around him. Sensations rocketed up and down his spine and his toes curled as she moved her head up and down. Bruce slid his hand into her hair to guide her head into an easy pace. She followed his patter and rubbed her tongue over the underside as she took him deeper.

“Don’t choke yourself,” Bruce coached her as she gagged. “Use your hands. Just like that.”

She did as he asked, wrapping her hands around the base of his cock tightly. He hissed with pleasure as her hands found the exact pressure he needed.

It was amazing. He’d bedded women hundreds of times more experienced than her and they’d never given him pleasure like this. Bella had figured out what he liked in the space of thirty seconds and her mouth was now driving him to oblivion. She pulled back and flicked her tongue over the crown to tease him before tightening her hands around his base and sinking down again. A shudder rolled through him. His strangled cry was her only warning before he came because he couldn’t get enough breath to warn her. Bella sucked harder and lowered her head on his shaft, taking as much of him as she could into her mouth. Bruce gave a strangled groan and gasped for breath, his heart pounding double time. He felt like he’d been hit by lightning as his orgasm was ripped from him. He was weak in the aftermath. Bella finished off by running her tongue over him to lick up the evidence of his climax. An unmanly tremble went through his body when she brushed over a particularly sensitive spot.

Bella rose from the floor and curled up by his side. He pulled her to him with shaky hands and lay back so they sprawled out on the couch with her on top of his chest. She snuggled into him and a strange feeling blossomed in his chest, one he didn’t have a name for. He felt satisfied and peaceful with her wrapped around him, skin to skin. Bruce wasn’t one to fall asleep after sex but his eyes were sliding shut. He felt drained of all physical strength. 

Just before he passed out he mumbled, “that was the best, ever,” into Bella’s ear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When he woke, she was gone again. 

Why it surprised him he didn’t know. She was so skittish he should have expected it. Bruce lay on his back and stared up at the ceiling and tried to make sense of everything that had happened in the past forty-eight hours. Bella had brought back his color vision and his emotions and silenced the evil voices that tormented him. He couldn’t fathom why and he was sure she had no idea of her effect on him. With her gone he had no answers and no leads to follow. 

Why the hell would she leave?

Irritation began to take root. Was this an elaborate game of cat and mouse she was playing? Women didn’t want to leave in the morning when they slept with Bruce Wayne, they tried to sink their claws into him. Bella was the first woman in years he’d spent more than two nights with and she didn’t seem interested in more. His ego was bruised. Shouldn’t she be pleased by his attention? Instead she ran the opposite direction like her life depended on it.

The door slammed, followed by the clatter of firewood onto tile and Bruce knew Alfred had arrived. He shut his eyes and pretended to be asleep. Footsteps came into the living room and stopped by the couch. 

“I know you’re awake.”

Bruce opened his eyes. “How?” 

Alfred snorted. “I’ve known you since you were born. I know how you sleep. Now get dressed, I have something to show you.”

Bruce threw on clothes and brushed his teeth before he joined Alfred in the bat cave. There was a thick leather-bound volume on the workbench that looked almost museum worthy. Alfred put on a pair of plastic gloves before he touched the book. Curious, Bruce stepped closer.

“What’s this?”

“A grimoire.”

“I don’t do spells.”

“It’s not a spell book,” Alfred replied. “It details a history of magic.”

“Are there spells in it?”

“Some.” 

“Then it’s a spell book. You should try to get your money back.”

“It contains a passage detailing almost exactly what happened to you,” Alfred said, as he shot Bruce a meaningful look. 

Bruce felt his heart speed up at Alfred’s words, but pushed away the flare of hope. When he found answers, they wouldn’t be from something that could pass as set piece in a B-movie. Still, he peered over Alfred’s shoulder at the text as he pointed out the passage in question. Bruce skimmed it, noting it was written in old style Russian. The story was a basic fairy tale. Evil witch attacks a village and a hunter goes after her. When he captures her, she unleashes her vengeance by releasing her magic into the ether. The magic found a new host in the hunter which killed the sorceress and cursed the hunter with her powers. 

“Ridiculous,” Bruce said.

Alfred looked at him with disbelief. “This is exactly what happened to you!”

“The security cameras failed; we don’t know what happened to me.”

Alfred scowled as Bruce turned away and stalked to the gym. “What if there are more like her? If there are more like you?” 

Bruce’s back stiffened and he froze midstride. For a second he stood there, ridged as a statue. Then he swung around to face Alfred with a stony expression. 

“There aren’t.”

With that, he stalked down the stairs to the gym.

You mean you don’t want there to be, Alfred thought. 

He understood. It was terrifying to consider a world where magic existed as common place. But seeing was believing and he’d seen two people now with magic- Bruce and the Enchantress. Logic dictated that there must be more. The billionaire couldn’t deny the reality staring him in the face for long. He knew how difficult the man could be but had faith his boss would come around. And when he did, at least they had a lead on his condition.


	6. Lies Unravel

Chapter Six: Lies Unravel 

“Love casts out fear, but we have to get over the fear in order to get close enough to love them.” – Dorothy Day

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The continued string of homicides in Gotham has police asking if a gang of serial murders are at work in the city. Due to the wide range of victim type, which has crossed lines of race, gender and location, the FBI is now considering this the work of a group rather than an individual agent. It appears the ‘Gotham Vampire’ may be the ‘Gotham Vampires,’ plural. More on this story after the-”

Bruce clicked off the T.V. 

He’d put it on for background noise but it was too depressing to tolerate for long. Alfred had gone home hours ago and the bat cave was silent without the chatter from the television. Bruce stared at the computer screen with a dark scowl. He’d searched for information on Bella all day with dismal results. So far, he hadn’t found anything he didn’t already know, but his perspective on the information he did know had been upended.

Everything in her modeling agency file was fake. After he’d studied it in depth, he couldn’t imagine why it hadn’t set off alarm bells at once.

The file was thick and contained a job application, tax withholding documents, a signed non-compete form and her bank account information. But when he’d dug farther, holes had appeared. Her resume had a P.O. box instead of a home address. Her work history had been falsified and the phone numbers to her references were out of order or dead ends. Her emergency contact information was blank and there was no name or number listed for next of kin. There was nothing usable in the file. It was as cold of a dead end as he’d ever encountered.

Bruce hacked her bank account next and found that it bore a fake name. He pulled up the digital copies of the photo I.D.s she’d provided when setting up the account, a passport and a birth certificate. They were passable fakes but not good ones. Within minutes he realized they were forgeries. Her credit cards were linked to the bank account and he hacked the databases for her Discover and MasterCard where he found another fake name, address and papers. Bruce leaned back in his chair to ponder what he’d found. She hadn’t given a home address. She had fake papers and multiple names. He could name ten federal laws she’d broken with those forged documents, from identity theft to bank fraud. By technicality, Bella – if that was even her name- was a criminal.

Bruce’s teeth clenched at the thought. His guts twisted as every fiber of his being rejected the idea. Bella wasn’t a criminal- she couldn’t be. The only explanation was that she was on the run from someone else. Rage simmered in his chest as his mind supplied dozens of scenarios that would explain her actions. An abusive boyfriend, a stalker, witnessing a violent crime….. anything was possible. Whatever the explanation he knew she was being threatened. This was why she left his bed. She couldn’t afford the emotional tie to another person when she needed to pull up stakes in the event whoever was hunting her got too close.

He spent several more hours trying to find more on Bella. After a while, he realized the hopelessness of the task as her fake names generated no new leads.

Bruce pushed away from the desk and stood, rolling out the kinks in his shoulders. He headed towards the elevator but paused in the control room as Alfred’s book caught his eye. The offensive volume lay open on the workbench. Bruce tried to ignore it but curiosity go the better of him. He donned a pair of plastic gloves from the box his butler had left out and turned the delicate pages back to the passage about the hunter.

Reading the old-style language was difficult though he’d learned Russian as a child. When he was done Bruce flipped through the pages of the book, noting that it changed languages several times and appeared to have numerous authors. Bruce tried to find evidence that the book was nonsense in the sections he could read but came up with nothing. Magic was described as green fire that appeared from the palms which was a disturbing consistency. All the information he read was completely unverifiable – he had no reason to believe it but by the same turn, he had no reason not to believe. If anything, the corroboration between his powers and those described in the book was damning. Bruce slammed the book closed.

No. He was tired. He wasn’t thinking straight. 

The Enchantress was an anomaly, a single being without kin. There were no other monsters like her lurking in the shadows. If magic was so common the world would know about it and aside from a few superpowered individuals, magic didn’t exist. Especially not the dark power the Enchantress had wielded. Alfred was grasping at straws. 

Bruce turned the book back to its original page and discarded his gloves where Alfred wouldn’t see them. He promised himself he wouldn’t look at the book again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four Days Later ……………….

“That’s a wrap!” 

At the director’s words, Bella leaned down and took off her heels. Beside her Asha did the same. The Ethiopian model groaned as she rubbed the arches of her feet. 

“I’ll never wear heels again,” she said.

Bella groaned. “Seconded.”

Asha Tariku, her co-model for today's shoot, was an internationally known supermodel who’d walked in major fashion shows on three continents. Without her, Bella never would have made it onto the runway. Before she’d met Asha she’d worked on catalogs and advertising campaigns. At five four she was too short for the catwalk, but with Asha’s recommendation, casting directors had begun calling her.

After they’d changed into their street clothes, the women met in the hallway. The often shared a taxi when leaving the studio because they both lived on the east side. Admittedly, Asha lived in a swanky downtown apartment building where the monthly rent on a single bedroom was more than some people’s cars and Bella in East End. But it shaved a few dollars off their fare, a habit Asha still lived by despite her wild success. Asha narrated her recent sleepless nights on the ride across town, which had come courtesy of Wolf, her six-month-old baby. He was teething and nothing calmed him. The chime of Asha’s phone interrupted their conversation. Looking down at the screen, she frowned. 

“What’s wrong?” Bella asked.

“Gavin forgot to tell me he has an event tonight we’re supposed to go to - his friend’s club opening. How am I supposed to get ready in an hour?”

“Your makeup is already perfect.”

Neither of them had washed off the makeup artist’s work before leaving the shoot.

“True, but I don’t have a sitter for Wolf.” 

“I could do it, if you wanted.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel like you have to.”

“I’m sure your husband wants you to be there,” Bella said. “You know having a baby doesn’t mean your social life dies.”

Asha sighed. “I know. I’ve only been out a few times since he was born. It’s just so hard to leave him. Thank you so much for this, Bella.”

Asha promised that she’d be back before one, but texted at midnight that Gavin wanted to stay longer. She arrived at a quarter to three, irritated and struggling to support her very intoxicated husband. 

Bella headed towards the elevator bank, more tired than she could recall being in recent memory. She pressed the down button and leaned against the wall as she waited. Her eyes drifted shut and she tilted her head back to ease the strained muscles. Six hours with a teething six-month-old was no joke and her ears still rang from Wolf’s screams. Even so, it had been better than going back to an empty apartment. 

It pained her to admit that she missed Bruce. Over the past five years she’d felt lonely often but it had never hurt this much. Now all she could think about was how it felt to fall asleep on his chest. She’d slept so soundly there, wrapped in his strong arms, and it had been that feeling which had driven her away. She’d yearned to stay and soak up as much of his warmth and strength as she could but safety wasn’t an illusion she could afford. Not with Victoria nipping at her heels. She’d get Bruce killed and she couldn’t live with that.

Already she was responsible for so much pain and death. He wouldn’t be added to the list of people she’d hurt.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the chime of the elevator. She heard the doors slide open and struggled to pry open her eyes.

“Hello, sweetheart.”

At the sound of that smoky voice, her eyes flew open. For a moment, she thought she was seeing things. Bruce Wayne, all six and a half feet of him, stood in the elevator looking sexier than sin in a three-piece suit. By a cruel joke of fate Bella was in cut off shorts she’d had since middle school and Wal-Mart flip flops. She had a sneaking suspicion some of Wolf’s spit up still decorated her shirt. Most of her makeup had melted off over the past few hours and her hair felt down right sticky from Wolf chewing on it. The teething baby put anything he could put in his mouth and nothing, not even her hair, was safe. 

Perfect. She stared in disbelief at Bruce. “How do you keep finding me?”

He smiled. “I own this building, so this is more of a case of you finding me.”

With reluctance she climbed into the elevator. “Wonderful.” 

Bruce punched the close button. “You look tired.”

“Thank you,” she growled. All she could think was: keep him away.

Bruce Wayne wasn’t an addiction she could have, for his own sake. He’d slipped past too many of her defenses already. He wouldn’t survive an association with her, not when Victoria was in the city. 

Get rid of him, Bella told herself. She stared ahead at the gold-plated doors of the elevator, refusing to look in his direction. Bruce stepped closer to her, almost into her space. The spicy scent of his aftershave mingled with the sandalwood undertones of his cologne and something else that was all Bruce. At this distance, she could feel body heat that radiated from him. Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips. She didn’t see him smile so much as she sensed it.

The elevator hit the ground floor and Bruce took her arm. The feel of his callused hand on her elbow sent tingles through her. Without a word, he turned her in the direction of the parking garage entrance on their left. She knew she should pull away and make an excuse to leave. But she didn’t want to. Guilt and fear squeezed her heart but she pushed it away. The weakness won and she let him lead her to the garage, where she let him open the passenger door. They drove out of downtown towards the highway that led to Wayne Manor.

“So, what were you doing at your building at three in the morning?” she asked.

“I was in the neighborhood and decided to go check on some damages to the penthouse.”

“At this hour?”

“I keep an odd schedule,” Bruce said with a shrug. “What were you doing in my building at three in the morning?”

“Babysitting.” 

He sent her a sidelong glance from the corner of his eye as he merged into the interstate. 

“What? Don’t believe me?” She pointed to a stain on her shirt. “Baby spit up. Also, my hair has been chewed on.”

“Teething?” 

“Yes. The kid puts anything he can get his hands on in his mouth, except his teething ring.”

“How did you end up babysitting this late?”

“My friend had a club opening.”

“Lucky for me,” Bruce said.

Bella sighed in response and Bruce figured it didn’t bode well for him. He weighed her flight risk as he wondered if he should confront her about what he’d learned. Given her history of disappearing when his back was turned, he decided it was better to hold off. He could read her the tension in her body language. Just to have her with him was an opportunity he didn’t want to waste. This was like approaching a stray cat that was trying to hide from animal control – it saw danger around every corner and jumped at the slightest of movements. He needed to keep her calm and gain her trust, Bruce thought as he led her into the house.

“Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“Sit,” Bruce said. He took her purse and set it on the foyer table. “I’ll cook.”

The expression on her face told him he’d thrown her off balance. It pleased him to have surprised her. Once seated at the breakfast bar Bella watched as he chopped ingredients for a salad with practiced ease. 

“Do you need any help?” 

Bruce refused and ordered her to stay put. She accepted a glass of ice water and settled back to observe. That he did his own cooking surprised her, but not that he knew how. From the moment she’d met him she could tell he was a capable man. Curiously she glanced around the house, looking for something that would tell her about him. There were no knickknacks, no photos and no houseplants. Strange, Bella thought. His home was beautiful but it could have passed for a hotel room. Bruce took the steaks out of the oven, transferred them to their plates and joined her at the bar.

“So, what kind of damages were you inspecting,” Bella asked.

“The prior tenant of the penthouse took a sledgehammer to the marble counter tops in the kitchen and bathroom after he was evicted. Then he went after the walls and floors.”

“Wow,” Bella said with a shake of her head. 

“The crazy ones seem to flock to me. Who were you babysitting for?”

“Asha Tariku.”

“The supermodel?”

“Yes.”

He took a bite of steak. Bella could see the wheels turning in his head as he digested the information. As the silence dragged on, she felt oddly compelled to fill it. 

“She’s the one who got me into runway modeling.”

“Oh?”

“I was too short for runway work, but I had the right look. I met Asha at a photoshoot for Ralph Lauren and she told me she knew a casting director desperate for a brunette model with my coloring last minute. I said no, but she took a picture of me and texted it to the director, who set up an interview with me for the next day. The brand ended up hiring me for the rest of their season.” She shrugged. “The rest is history. What about you? What do you do?”

“I’m a business owner,” Bruce said. “I have real estate holdings and other ventures.”

He found himself being vague because he knew his carefully cultivated image as Gotham’s philandering playboy was something Bella would despise. A two-decade strong reputation worked against him now. It was clear Bella wasn’t a local or she’d have recognized him on the spot and run the other way. Most people in Gotham knew who Bruce Wayne was and he wondered how long she’d lived here. 

“When did you move to Gotham?” he asked.

“A while ago, for college.”

“Gotham University?” 

“Yes.”

“What did you study?”

“Computer Science. You?”

“I have a bachelor’s in business administration from GU and a masters from Oxford.”

And their conversation went on like that. He would ask her a question about herself and she’d answer, but keep it short. Details like places and dates were carefully withheld and then she’d turn the question back to him to keep the focus off herself. The ease with which she managed this irritated him. It proved she had practice at hiding her identity. When their plates were empty he still hadn’t dug enough information out of her to launch a full-scale search into her past. So, he pulled out a bottle of wine and chocolate ice cream.  
Hopefully the wine would loosen her tongue, something he’d been unsuccessful at thus far. Desperate times required desperate measures.

They settled in on the couch with the ice cream and Bruce placed the wine glasses on the coffee table.

“I shouldn’t,” Bella said when she saw the bottle. “It’s almost five the morning and we’ve been up all night.” 

“It’s Saturday morning,” he reasoned as he poured. “And it’s a fifty-year old Bordereaux. I’d be offended if you said no.” 

His smile contradicted his words, but she accepted the glass from him anyways. What harm could it do, she thought as she took a sip. 

“You know how to pick wine,” Bella said as she swirled the burgundy liquid in her glass.

“I can’t take credit for this one, my father bought it decades ago.”

Panic squeezed his chest as he realized he’d opened himself up to questions about his family. It wasn’t a mistake he’d made with a woman before. Bella didn’t know anything about him and she would think nothing of asking about his father. Fear took the breath from his lungs and he could feel the blank expression slide over his face. She set her bowl of ice cream on the coffee table and wrapped her arms around him. As she looked up at him, her eyes were soft. Nothing was said but he could tell that by some intuitive instinct, she’d picked up on his pain. Her unspoken understanding of something he still couldn’t put into words revealed more of her past than everything she’d said to him thus far.  
The piece of information he needed clicked into place. Like recognized like. Bella had lost a parent, just as he had. He pulled her closer and absorbed the comforting warmth she offered gratefully. 

Bella turned her head to the side and let out a jaw cracking yawn.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be, I’m sure you’ve had a long day. Do you want to spend the night?”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “If we go to bed, we won’t sleep.”

“I promise to keep my hands to myself.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about.” 

He smirked. “You don’t have the energy.” 

She looked insulted. “I do too.” 

“You’re fighting back another yawn. Come on.”

Bruce helped her up from the couch and led her around the dividing wall to the bed.

He turned the glass walls of the house dark before he undressed her. His hands wandered, not to tease, but in appreciation as he bared her skin. Bella rose to her knees on the mattress and wrapped her arms around his neck. The invitation in her eyes was clear.

“We’re not having sex tonight. We’re on our first date.”

“I’m putting out on the first date,” Bella said and reached for his collar. 

Bruce caught her hands. “No. We can sleep together, but no sex.”

“What about in the morning?”

“It’s dawn.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “I mean when we wake up.”

“When we wake up the date is over and anything goes.”

“I like the sound of that,” she said.

He shot her a look of censure and she laughed. Bruce found her one of his t shirts and helped her into it before he undressed. On a normal night he’d have slept naked but tonight he kept his boxers on as a preventative measure. When he lay down Bella moved to curl up against his side and her head found a pillow on his chest. It was the most natural thing in the world to wrap his arms around her and then relax into the deepest sleep he’d had in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! 
> 
> Thank you all for reading "The Sun Is New." I appreciate your comments and the kudos. I wanted to let you guys know that I will be posting the next chapter sooner than normal, probably on Wednesday of next week. The interruption of regular scheduling is due to the fact that I'll be out of wifi and Internet connection for the weekend, as I will be on vacation. 
> 
> Thanks again, hope you're enjoying the ride!


	7. Progress by Increments

Chapter Seven: Progress by Increments 

“Grief is in two parts. The first is loss. The second is the remaking of life.” - Anne Roiphe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The persistent ring of a phone interrupted her sleep. Bella pulled the pillow over her head and tried to ignore the sound. When the mattress dipped beside her she was startled before she remembered the events of last night.

“It’s yours,” Bruce said. 

Bella pushed the pillow away and forced her eyes open. Bruce handed her the still ringing phone. She picked up the call and Janelle Bright, the casting director for Marc Jacobs’ Gotham offices, began to talk a mile a minute. 

“Bella, I can’t believe this is happening, but I need you on set at Williams Studio by four.”

She looked at the time. It was almost one in the afternoon. “I can do that.”

“Thank goodness. I know it’s super last minute but one of our girls didn’t show and we need a replacement. I’ll never forget you for doing this.” 

Bella confirmed the time and location before she wrapped up the call. Bruce had listened with unconcealed interest. 

“What was that about?” he asked.

“A casting director had a no show so I’m filling in.”

“I’m heading to my office for the afternoon. Williams Studio is on the way.”

She almost objected, but stopped herself. What harm would it do? She didn’t want to pay for the cab ride back to Gotham and saying no would be awkward. “Alright.”

“We have a couple hours to burn,” Bruce said. 

His eyes heated and as if on cue, her nipples hardened. Bella kicked free of the sheets and rolled to her knees. Bruce hauled her into his arms without hesitation and took possession of her mouth. He kissed her over and over, feeding on her mouth. He tried to go slow but the flames of lust were quickly stroked to an inferno by the feel of her pressed against him. He ravaged her mouth with his tongue and nipped at her full lower lip. His hands fisted in her hair as he angled her head to the position that suited him. Bella whimpered as he deepened the kiss and tightened her arms around his neck. Her soft breasts pressed against him through the thin material of her shirt. Distracted, he changed direction. Without breaking the kiss, he slid his hands under the hem, finding the warmth of her skin. He kissed her until they both panted with desire and Bella clutched his shoulders. 

Bruce stepped back. “Take off your shirt,” he said as he shoved down his boxers.

Bella complied and jerked the garment over her head and tossed it across the room. He paused for a moment to take in the beautiful lines of her body. The concave curve of her waist, the soft fullness of her breast and the contrast of milky skin to raspberry colored nipples. He reached out and captured her face in his hands and tilted her chin up so she was forced to look at him. 

“You’re stunning.”

Her expression flickered. Disbelief flashed in her eyes for a moment, but before he could address it, she pulled him down for another kiss and dragged him onto the bed. He was helpless but comply. Bruce slipped his tongue past the seam of her lips into the silky heat of her mouth. He felt more in a kiss with Bella than most of the sex he’d had in the past few years, Bruce reflected. His thoughts scattered when Bella broke the kiss and began to lick her way down his throat.

“Oh, no you don’t.” He peeled her off him and settled his weight over her so she was pinned to the mattress under his weight.

“But I want to!”

“I have plans for you, woman. Don’t ruin it before we get started.”

“Please?”

“No. Last time you knocked me out with that sweet mouth. This time you get a taste of your own medicine.”

Her eyes widened.

Bruce lowered his head to her breast and latched onto her nipple and sucked hard. He treated its twin to the same and then pulled away to admire his handiwork. She was flushed pink all the way down her chest and her nipples had darkened to crimson. He flicked his tongue over a hard peak and was rewarded with a whimper. Bruce took his time and teased her a little more before he kissed a path down her stomach. The muscles there were taunt with need and he felt his own desire ratchet up a notch in response. With less care than he’d intended he pushed her legs apart and fastened his mouth over her clit with no warning. His tongue swept over her folds, sampling the sweetness there and she shuddered in response, her hands fisting in his hair. He increased the pace and lost himself in the sound of her cries, each whimper and moan stroking the fire inside of him. He couldn’t get enough of her. She trembled and a thrill ran down his spine. All that mattered to him was that he gave her so much pleasure she was consumed by it.

She sobbed when he licked her most sensitive spot and her hips twisted violently. He draped a heavy arm over her hips and wedged his shoulders between her thighs as she tried to close herself off from his sensual assault. Need built inside of him like a wildfire. With new urgency, he growled and sucked on her clit. Her channel spasmed and juices coated his tongue, their taste intoxicating. He struck back without mercy until she screamed.

“Bruce!!!!”

He tightened his hold on her hips and she was forced into stillness. She bucked harder as her cries came in a breathless pattern he now recognized. Going all in, he slid two fingers inside of her narrow passage and the muscles contracted around them. More wetness slid down to his tongue and he could feel the tension gather in her body as he continued to assail her. He twisted his fingers, curling and flicking them against the sensitive front wall while his mouth remained on her clit. 

“Please!” Bella cried. Her hands pulled at his hair as punishment for his torture but he barely felt it.

He curled his fingers up, hard. She screamed and every muscle in her body tightened as her hips jerked forward. Bella shuddered, then flew apart. Her orgasm tore through her and she tossed back her head as a strangled cry of release escaped. Before she was finished he settled himself between her legs. Bella was breathless and he could feel the tremors that still ran through her thighs. When the head of his cock rubbed against her entrance she sobbed and arched against him in invitation.

Bruce groaned. “Slow down.”

Under him she twisted and moaned.

“We’re going to go slow,” he said, more for his benefit than hers.

“Bruce,” Bella begged as she wrapped her legs around him. 

He slid into her slick channel as gently as he could, helped by her wetness which aided his entry. With careful restraint he pushed into her and felt her delicate muscles stretch to accommodate him. The heat of her was almost too much for her and he stilled, clenching his jaw against the demands of his body. Bella withered under him desperately, rolling her hips and moaning. 

Bruce grasped her hips. “Hold still.”

She was too far gone to listen. The feel of him thick and hard lodged inside of her was too much. She couldn’t catch her breath as she sought relief, twisting her hips to try and take more of him. He stretched her and though the sensation burned a little but it felt so good, she couldn’t stop. The pleasure was overwhelming as he began to move, sinking farther into her. 

When he slowed again Bella hissed, “more,” and tightened her legs around his hips.

“I don’t want to hurt you, you’re so tight.”

“Bruce, please.”

He thrust harder this time and she shuddered as he pushed through her folds, the broadness of his shaft forcing her open. It was so pleasurable she was already close to another orgasm. A moan escaped when he pushed deeper. Already she was so full. How much more of him was there? Her body spasmed as it tried to draw him farther inside.

“Bella,” Bruce gasped. Her tight, nearly unyielding muscles clamped down around him.

“I want you so much. It stings a little, but it’s so good. Please.”

He growled and rocked his hips, sheathing a few more inches. She thrashed under him as her body sought relief. Bella lifted her hips and pushed upwards to take more of him. 

Blood pounded in his ears and his erection pulsed between his thighs, almost painful. With her squirming, he could barely keep his control. Bruce’s control fractured and he slammed into her, burying himself in her tight, wet heat. He felt himself collide with her cervix and she yelped. 

Bruce swore.

Bella recovered in an instant. “More.”

He was too lost in the pleasure to do anything but obey. Bruce built an easy rhythm that let him watch her reactions to each thrust. He drew out their pleasure with the unhurried pace that kept them both on edge for as long as he could. He felt as hard as iron as he drove inside of her. She trembled and her breath caught. He watched, enraptured as her eyes went misty and her body bowed upwards. Her hands grasped the sheet under her and she went stiff for a moment. Then a sob broke from her. The sound of her orgasm triggered the release he’d held back and he gave into the wild need. His hands grasped her hips as he lifted her off the mattress and pounded into her over and over with all the force in his body. Bella screamed as her hands grasped his shoulders as his thrusts intensified her orgasm. Her cries were music to his ears as his own orgasm came fast and hard.

Bruce collapsed over her. Bella groaned under his weight and remarkably, shivered, as an aftershock coursed through her. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she pressed her face into his neck. He slid a hand into her hair to cradle the back of her head as their heartbeats slowed to a normal rhythm.

“Are you alright?”

He knew he’d hit her cervix and he wondered if endorphins had camouflaged the pain when she recovered so soon.

“I’m good.”

He rolled to his back and Bella found herself sprawled over his chest. She pushed herself up enough to look him in the eye. “We’re explosive together.” 

“This kind of chemistry doesn’t come along every day.”

“I know,” Bella replied as she leaned down to kiss him. 

He wondered if she could ever understand the magnitude of what she’d done for him. She’d changed his entire world the moment he’d seen her. After two years without color, without emotions other than the acidic rage the had controlled him, he’d resigned himself to a bitter existence. Then Bella had set him free. The rage that had burned in his stomach disappeared like it was never there. He felt reborn, as clichéd as it sounded. She’d done something to him and it had changed him forever. Now his only focus was to make sure she never left him and took that magic away.

Bella threw off the sheet and stood. Bruce propped himself on his elbows to appreciate the view of her naked body in the early afternoon sunlight. His seed gleamed on her thighs. 

“We didn’t use protection.”

“I’m on the shot.”

He waited for relief, but none came.

She picked up his shirt and slipped it back on. “Do you have a shower?”

“Downstairs.”

He took her to the lower level, where Bella found that Bruce’s definition of a shower meant a space as large as her old bedroom in Forks. He showered with her, which turned into a quickie against the wall. Bella had to admit that she’d like to repeat that experience. Bruce had lifted her with ease and pinned her to the tile where he’d brought her to orgasm twice within the span of ten minutes.

She dressed in last night’s clothes and grabbed her purse from the table. At the sound of Bruce’s footsteps, she turned towards the stairs and her breath caught at the sight of him in a well fitted navy business suit. It was impossible not to stare. Bruce Wayne was a gorgeous man. The way his shoulders filled out the jacket was enough to make her mouth water and the gray at his temples lent him a silver fox like quality. 

How had she gone from Edward’s youthful beauty to this rugged man, who emulated male confidence from his pores? 

As they drove into the city Bella reflected on the differences between Edward and Bruce. They were like night and day, yet she had feelings for both men. Edward was a gentleman, traditional and romantic. In many ways Bruce was his antithesis, yet they were both intelligent and brooding. But it was Bruce who’d claimed every inch of her body and excited her in ways she’d only read about before. There was a connection between them she couldn’t deny and that worried her. She couldn’t have a relationship, but this had begun to look an awful lot like one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bella’s silence worried Bruce. He couldn’t tell where her mind was at but her mouth was pursed and her eyes vacant as she stared out the window on the drive into Gotham.

He’d left the house last night directionless, spurred by the urge to get out of the bat cave more than anything. For an hour he’d driven aimlessly around Gotham. He’d almost stopped at a few clubs but hadn’t been able to summon the energy to pull on the mask of Bruce Wayne. The restless feeling wouldn’t leave and he’d circled the city three times before he went to his Robinson Park property to check the penthouse damages. Two years ago, he wouldn’t have bothered to check the building in person but he’d felt drawn there. When the elevator doors opened on the 43rd floor he understood why. He’d been drawn to her. She’d looked exhausted and pale, with mused hair and half worn off make up. The combination of a t-shirt and cut off shorts could have let her pass for a teenager. So far this was his favorite look on her.

Bella was wringing her hands in her lap and he wondered what she was thinking. 

He wondered for a moment if it was related to her disappearance. His gut screamed that she was in danger and he had to bite his tongue so he wouldn’t bring up what he knew. Asking would drive her away. Bruce consoled himself with the knowledge that he now had enough information to start a proper search to find her real identity. From there he’d find the threat and eliminate it. The idea of killing bothered him but the circumstances warranted the extreme measure. Nothing would threaten her, not as long as he existed. 

They parked on the street in front of Williams Studio and Bruce turned to her. 

“Give me your phone.”

Bella looked wary. “Why?”

“So I can give you my number.”

For a moment, she looked torn. He waited. Somehow it was important that she willingly surrender this information, without his persuasion. After what felt like an eternity she handed over her phone. He keyed in his information and called himself so he would have her number. When she took the device back he caught her wrist and pulled her over the consul into a deep kiss. His tongue slid into her mouth, rough and demanding. Satisfaction spread through him when she melted into him and returned the kiss with equal passion. She looked rumpled when they parted her mouth swollen and an abraded pink patch on her cheek where his stubble had scraped her skin. He reached over and brushed the spot with his thumb.

“Sorry. I should have shaved. Next time I’ll remember.”

“Next time?” Bella asked.

“There’s going to be a next time sweetheart, count on it.”

Bruce made his way to the corner office of Wayne Enterprises that he rarely utilized and took out a fresh legal pad. He wrote down the details she’d revealed to him last night as well as the details from her fake identities he considered likely to be true. When he was done, there were three items on the list - her first name, age and Gotham University. He scowled down at the paper, disgusted there was so little. I should have just cloned her phone, Bruce thought. He focused his energy on the most promising lead, GU records. The college’s IT security took some time to bypass but he had the admissions records for the past ten years within a few hours. He estimated her birth year and added her name to the search parameters and found another complication.

Bella was a nickname.

She’d used Isabella Black on her credit cards, and Isabella Dwyer on her modeling file which led him to think that was her real first name. But it would have been smart to keep the nickname and use a different full name. The nickname ensured she would respond to her new moniker while the fake information protected her. Bruce scowled at the computer screen and changed his search parameters. He added Arabella, Isabella, Annabella and Mirabella to the algorithm and let the computer do its work. 

There was a mountain of accounting reports for him to look over while he waited so he got started on them. It was nearing midnight when the computer dinged to announce it had finished its task. He opened the results and found more than thirty possible matches in applications, admissions and student files. There were student I.D. photos attached to the student files and he started there. He found her picture on the second page and opened the folder. Isabella Marie Swan, aged nineteen at the time of the photo, computer science major. There were copies of her birth certificate and passport in her file and he studied them with care. If they were fakes they were much higher quality than what she’d used at the bank. Half expecting another dead end, he googled her name.

News articles appeared first. He clicked on the first one from a publication called the Peninsula Daily Telegraph.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Forks Police Chief Murdered in Home

Forks, WA – January 21st

The chief of police in Forks, Washington was found dead in his home on the evening of January 20th in what is being investigated as a homicide. Details are still emerging in the case, but the chief has been identified as Charles “Charlie” Swan by the Forks Police Department. According to local news sources, a search warrant has been issued for his personal vehicle and cell phone as police gather information.

At this point, few details have been made available to the public, but it has been released that the FBI, Washington Bureau of Investigation and the State Patrol have joined in the investigation. Authorities said in a press conference that they are looking at several suspects including violent offenders with whom Swan had personal dealings. Also during the press conference, the interim chief, Mark Williams, stated that Chief Swan’s body had been located at 11:23 p.m. by his daughter, Isabella Swan, after she returned home from a friend’s house. 

Memorial services for Chief Swan will occur on the twenty sixth at Anderson’s Funeral Home in Forks, Washington at 2 p.m. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She’d found her father’s body. Bile churned in his gut as memories rose to the surface and his own trauma threatened to resurface. He knew the pain and helplessness that came when a loved one was lost to violence. That she had experienced such a tragedy made his chest burn. He skimmed the other hits, most of them about Charlie Swan’s unsolved murder before he found an article that made his blood run cold.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Local Teen Disappears After Graduation

Forks, WA- July 3rd 

Police are searching for a teenage girl in Forks, Washington who has been missing since Saturday evening. State police say 18-year-old Isabella Swan left the residence of her legal guardian on the La Push Reservation around 6:15 p.m. to meet a friend in town and never returned. Local and State authorities are cooperating in the search with the help of hundreds of volunteers. 

Harold Greene, principal of Forks High School said that Isabella was a popular and friendly girl who had many friends in the area. “She had a rough patch after her father, Chief Swan, was murdered in January,” he recalled. Further questioning of her friends revealed that she’d broken up with a boyfriend shortly before her father’s murder and a friend of hers had recently disappeared.

“It’s like everything bad that can happen to a person has happened to her over the last year,” a source familiar with the situation said. 

Her mental state is a concern police are considering as they search for her. Forks Police Chief Mark Williams issued a statement describing Isabella Swan as 5-feet 4-inches with a slender build. She is white and has dark brown hair. She was last seen Sunday night wearing jeans, a green hoodie and converse sneakers. Anyone who sees Swan or has any information regarding her whereabouts should contact state police.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce tried to dig deeper with the limited information he’d found. Around three in the morning he gave up hope that he would find anything of interest. He leaned back in his chair and stared out the glass wall of his office at the cityscape as he wondered what all of this meant. It was as if someone had handed him half the pieces of a complicated puzzle. Without the missing pieces, he couldn’t see the picture. Questions churned in his mind. The boyfriend mentioned in the article was the biggest unknown. Bruce had searched school records and social media but there was nothing to document who Bella had been in a relationship with at that time. Had the boyfriend killed Chief Swan? The violence of his murder made him inclined to reject the notion. Teenagers didn’t have it in them to inflict that kind of violence. His searches on her missing friend had turned up no leads. Other than Bella, no one had gone missing in Forks that year. It made no sense. 

Bruce suspected that until he had the other half of the puzzle, nothing would.


	8. Who Do You Think You Are?

Chapter Eight: Who Do You Think You Are?

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.” – Confucius

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce drove himself to the brink of insanity over the next few days. He reviewed and dissected the scant information he had uncovered about Bella. Even after four days of research he knew about as much as he had before. All he had were tiny scraps of information that didn’t add up no matter how he tried to put them together. He was sure there was a conspiracy to hide information from him.

The ex- boyfriend was a ghost. The same with her missing friend a mystery and her whereabouts between her disappearance and her enrollment at Gotham University a year later. Frustration turned his muscles to knots. When he stood to stretch his back cracked and the tense muscles sized. A workout was in order. Two hours later, after punishing his body in every way imaginable, he stood in the shower and let its spray wash away the sweat. 

He considered calling Bella but decided against it. He needed time to process all he’d uncovered before he saw her again. Right now, he wanted to grill her for answers and that would scare her off, which was the last thing he wanted. Bruce dressed and went to the control room where he found Alfred at the workbench with the grimoire and a laptop at his elbow. The table was covered in copies of its pages that were marked with notes and comments. Alfred’s fingers flew over the keys as he typed.

“Master Wayne.”

“Alfred. What’s all this?”

“Translations. I’m into the Dutch pages now.”

Bruce pulled up a chair. “Give me the copies of the Russian.”

If Alfred was surprised, he didn’t show it as he passed Bruce a stack of pages an inch thick. 

The dull work gave him no room to think about anything else. In four hours, he was finished with the Russian and Alfred had done Dutch and French in record time. 

“It’s late,” the butler said with a sigh. “I’ll be back to pick this up again in the morning.”

Bruce half heard him as his fingers flew over the keyboard, translating a Spanish page into English. “Later.”

He was absorbed in the task now as he picked up the last pile, written in ancient Greek, as Alfred stepped onto the elevator. It was three in the morning when he finished and his stomach had started to growl so he rummaged up a sandwich before he settled back in front of the computer. Bruce scrolled through the typed pages of the grimoire and read through the contents of the book. It was mixed and jumped in time, location and author with each page. He had to admit that the stories were written by someone with a fantastic imagination. Outlandish tales of vampires, werewolves, witches, mermaids and even goblins were inscribed in the pages. Bruce sped through the crazier parts of the narrative and focused on the spells. Perhaps he’d try one. When it failed he would have proof the grimoire was nonsense and Alfred could move on.

There was a spell in English in the latter part of the book and Bruce selected it. Since it hadn’t been translated he figured it would give him the best chance of success. Bruce skimmed the story that prefaced the spell. The author recounted his investigation of an incident that involved a reanimated corpse in Massachusetts in the mid-eighteenth century. At the end of the journal style entry he’d detailed the spell he’d done to track the witch responsible using animal bones he’d found at the burial site of the resurrected corpse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ingredients for tracking spell:

1) Bones found at burial site (note: any item belonging to the magical being will work for this spell. The bones were on hand from the grave site.) 

2) Bat blood, one spoonful

3) Shavings of Alder wood, small amount

4) Arrow Root, one quarter of a full root

5) Benzoin Oil, two cups.

Instructions: First mix bat blood and benzoin oil in clean pot. Bring to boil over open flame. Add shavings of Alder wood, stir until dissolved. Slowly mix in arrow root until the mixture turns white. Lastly, add the magical ingredient to activate spell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce called himself ten kinds of a fool for doing this at all but gathered the items anyway. The sun crested the skyline and he headed out on his motorcycle to the farmer’s market. He picked up the arrow root and alder wood there and stopped at a health store for benzoin oil. It was easy to obtain bat blood given his location. As he set out the ingredients, he realized something was missing – he needed an item owned by someone magical so he could track them. Bruce mulled over the possibilities as his eyes came to rest on the grimoire. If the spell did work, the book had to have belonged to someone magical. He ripped out the blank page that prefaced the text and ripped it out to add to his pile of ingredients.

Bruce retrieved a pan from the kitchen and washed it to be certain it was clean as the spell directed and followed the instructions to the letter. His final ingredient was the page.

Nothing happened.

An odd feeling of disappointment washed over him but he pushed it away. 

What an utter waste of my time. 

Bruce stared down at the green liquid, still frothing with bubbles, and wondered why he’d engaged in this ridiculous experiment. Perhaps he’d lost his mind. Alfred had always said it was a matter of time. And he did dress up like a bat to fight crime for a hobby, so the signs had been there all along.

The mixture fizzed. Froth poured over the edges of the pan, like a volcano’s explosion and the liquid churned violently. It popped and snapped as a chemical reaction started to take place. White bubbles rose to the top and a gurgle came from the contents of the pan before the mixture turned milky. Bruce took a cautious step back, unsure if he could believe what he saw. The book had said the potion would turn white.

The page flew out of the boiling liquid, straight up. It hovered in the air for a moment where it oscillated for a moment and then flew towards the exit. Bruce stood there, frozen with shock, too stunned to move. There was one thing to do – follow that paper. He grabbed his motorcycle helmet and keys.

It sailed through the woods, floating through the trees like a kite as he trailed after it. At the highway the page turned towards the city. He sped through the light traffic of the post dawn hour to keep pace with the paper as it flew higher and higher until it was difficult to make out against the bright sky. After dozens of senseless twists and turns the page led him out of Gotham, past where the urban landscape gave way to farmland. Bruce turned on to a dirt road that led into a field as the page took a sharp left. There was nothing around for miles. The spell had worked, but he wondered if it was defective.

The page crested the hill and a graveyard came into view. Bruce paused and looked down at the overgrown weeds, the crumbling grave stones and rusted wrought iron fence. The paper floated lower and paused as if unsure, before it glided down to the cemetery. It fluttered at eye level and drifted from gravestone to gravestone as if it was looking for something. Had he tracked a dead man? Bruce wondered as he dismounted his motorcycle and shadowed the paper through the maze of tombs. Just as he was ready to give up, the page jerked, pulling itself up like a dog that had heard its master’s whistle and took off. Bruce leapt over the tangle of overgrown weeds as he chased after it. He caught up to the enchanted page and saw that it had stopped. The page hovered at the door of a mausoleum. Bruce walked closer and realized it wasn’t a crypt, but a stone cottage. 

The grounds keeper’s cottage.

He didn’t have a plan of what to say, but he hadn’t come all this way for nothing, so he knocked on the door. The page floated by his shoulder as it watched to see if it had found the right person. Bruce eyed the rickety lock on the door and considered kicking it in if no one answered.

It creaked open and an old man appeared. He had unkempt silver hair that fell to his shoulders and wore what looked like a monks’ robe.

When he spoke, his voice sounded as if it was filtered by gravel. “Can I help you?” 

“I think I may be lost,” Bruce said with his most charming smile. “My phone isn’t getting any reception out here….” 

He broke off when he saw that the grounds keeper wasn’t listening to him. His eyes were fastened on a point over Bruce’s shoulder. Feeling as though he was invisible, Bruce glanced back and was surprised to see the page still hovered behind him.

“You’re a warlock.”

Bruce stiffened at the old man’s charge, but had no response. “What do you mean?”

The grounds keeper’s sharp gaze scanned him up and down with care. He felt unnerved by the preceptive blue eyes, a rare experience for the vigilante. When their eyes met again the accusation on the old man’s face eased.

“Come in.” 

Against all common sense, Bruce stepped inside. The enchanted paper followed after him and the old man snagged it out of the air with a quickness that belied his age. He glanced around the one room cottage. There was a bed made up to military precision, a table with mismatched chairs, a small love seat and a kitchenette. All in all, it was the size of a college dorm. 

“Sit.”

Bruce obliged and took a seat at the table and watched as the old man waved his hand at the tea kettle. It whistled right away.

The hair on the back of Bruce’s neck stood up. Had he stumbled into a trap? His host poured two cups of hot water and added tea bags. He slid one mug to Bruce when he sat down and settled back to stare. Bruce sipped the tea and pretended the old man’s suspicious glare wasn’t disconcerting. 

“You don’t know,” the old man said.

“Know what?” Bruce didn’t appreciate the are-you-an-idiot-or-what tone the man’s voice had taken on. 

“You don’t know you’re a warlock.”

“I have no idea what you mean.”

“Explain this, then,” the groundskeeper said as he waved the parchment at him like it was evidence in a murder trial.

“It was an experiment from a book I found.”

The old man’s sharp blue eyes narrowed. “Found?”

“A friend found it for me. What about you? Who are you?”

“My name is Judah Harel. What is yours?”

“Bruce Wayne. Why did the paper lead me to you?”

“Where did you get it?”

“Out of the book I did the experiment with.”

“You must have done a spell that led you to me," the grounds keeper pressed.

Bruce gave in and explained what he’d done.

Judah nodded. “A tracking spell; I must have owned that book at some point.”

“And you’re a warlock?”

“I was,” Judah said. “And so are you, as ignorant of that fact as you seem to be.”

“I’m not a warlock.”

Judah snorted and took a sip of tea. He eyed Bruce with curiosity. “Interesting.”

“I’m not a warlock!”

“Yes, you are. I can feel the magic pouring off you.”

Bruce’s jaw clenched. “It’s possible I have magic. I captured the Enchantress two years ago, and from what I read in your grimoire, I may have absorbed her magic.” 

He recounted the events that had led to the Enchantress’ death as Judah listened. The grounds keeper asked a few questions about the physical changes he’d experienced in the aftermath and then nodded. 

“You absorbed the Enchantress’ magic and transformed into warlock.”

Judah regarded Bruce with empathy. “No wonder you didn’t know what you are.”

“I have the Enchantress’s magic?” Bruce asked.

“Yes. That is how you became a warlock.”

“The government files on the Enchantress said that she took over the body of an archeologist, who acted as her host. Is that what’s happened to me?”

Judah shook his head. “No. It’s not a case of possession with you. You must have had untapped magic in you if you absorbed the power she released. It belongs to you now.”

“I’m her host,” Bruce said.

“No. The enchantress is dead. I cannot sense her presence within you, only the presence of magic. The powers she possessed are now yours.” 

“How do I get rid of them? I don’t want any part of her.”

Judah sighed. “You don’t understand. The Enchantress released her magic into the ether when she attempted to escape your prison. By releasing her magic, she would have been able to take over another body – possess it, as she did with the archeologist- and regain her physical form. However, you were there. Two things could have happened in that explosion. The force of the blast could have killed you, or her magic could have invaded your body, making you her host. But neither happened. You must have already had the potential for magic in your blood, because instead of being taken over or killed, you absorbed the magic.”

“She was trying to kill me?”

“Or possess you. Enchantress would have been able use you to as a host and transform back into her physical form. I’ve heard rumors in the magical community about her age and power. For her it would have been entirely possible to make you her host, but in absorbing her power, you prevented this. The explosion she caused killed her because you took her magic.”

“If I have her magic, I must have her,” Bruce argued.

Judah rubbed his unshaven jaw and scowled. “Magic is neither good nor evil, Mr. Wayne. It is like water or air, its own substance that can be used for any purpose. While she lived, Enchantress owned the magic she passed to you. The explosion she created released it, and it entered you. Now you are its owner and you can do with it whatever you please.”

“The magic made me evil,” Bruce said. “When she transferred her powers to me I woke up without color vision, but there were other changes too. I went numb to emotion and physical pain. Then I heard voices. I became violent, psychopathic. I almost killed someone.” 

“There is darkness in magic if you aren’t anchored.”

“Anchored?”

“You’ve fixed that problem, I see.” 

His mind flashed to Bella and the peace he’d felt the first time he’d touched her.

Judah continued. “Magic is an extremely powerful force. For one person alone, the influence is too much and you will eventually lose your mind under its pull, becoming as you said, psychopathic. This is why we have mates to anchor us. You must have met yours, you seem quite sane.”

Bruce felt exposed. “Explain,” he demanded.

Knowledge sparkled in the grounds keeper’s eyes. “Your color vision is back. The voices that spoke to you haven’t come back since the moment you laid eyes on her. And the rabid anger that wouldn’t let you go? It’s like it was never there to begin with. You’ve met your mate, your anchor.”

“The colors came back when I saw her.”

Judah smiled. “Your mate is the ballast that keeps you from being pulled under by the magic. Unmated warlocks tend to be savage, dangerous creatures. She is the only thing keeping you balanced. Without her, the magic will take over and you’ll be sucked into it. You need to bond with her.”

“Bond?” Bruce asked.

“Bonding is a ritual spell done between mates that allows you to share your magic with her. It strengthens her hold over you, protecting you from your magic. When bonded, mates’ minds become connected, opening a channel between you and letting you sense each other’s thoughts and emotions at will.”

He was stunned and struggled to absorb what he’d just heard. 

“Bonding is how Enchantress got her powers,” Judah said.

“What?”

“South American warlocks were a bit different than other warlocks. We lived peaceably among humans, protecting them from supernatural threats like vampires, werewolves and others. But not all cultures followed these rules. Before the Spanish came to the Western Hemisphere, the indigenous people of Mesoamerica and South America worshiped warlocks as gods. They demanded sacrifices and wars in their names. They were mad and bloodthirsty, allegedly wiping out entire civilizations during the tenth century. It’s rumored that the Enchantress was the mate of one of the South American warlocks. You see, there are no female warlocks.”

“How do you carry on the lineage?”

“You mate and give your partner powers, transforming her into a sorceress. If you have a child it will be male and have powers. The Enchantress was mated to a warlock who’d gone so far insane that when their minds connected, she also went insane. The power seduced her and she became worse than him. It’s said that she killed him to take the power. Of course, this didn’t go over well with other warlocks in the area. Enchantress had incredible power and the people were enraptured. They worshiped her to the exclusion of the other warlocks. Furious, they banded together and killed her. It seems they were only partially successful, since she managed to reanimate herself.” 

“So the Enchantress’….. husband….. gave her powers?”

“Yes.”

“And I can give Bella powers?”

Judah nodded. “When you bond with her she’ll gain access to your magic. Speaking of which, have you managed to do magic yet?”

Bruce shrugged. “Green fire comes out of my hands sometimes. I did the spell that led me here. Other than that, I’ve tried not to use it.”

“Prudent,” the old man said. “Anchorless, the more you do magic, the more it pulls you in.”

“How do you know all of this?” 

“Like I said, I was a warlock.”

“Past tense?” 

“I was mated. Like the Enchantress, I survived my mate’s death. For warlocks that’s quite uncommon because our life forces are linked when we bond.” His cerulean eyes turned grim. “That’s the one down side to bonding – if you die so does your mate. However, I survived Alexandria’s death.”

“So, when she died, your magic… left?”

“No. I can still do magic when I chose to, like warming up the tea kettle,” Judah reminded him. “But I refrain from spells requiring more magic. Without an anchor, there is chance I could give into the pull of magic. A simple spell every now and then won’t allow to magic to take over, but I was mated for eight hundred years. It gives me something of a buffer against the darkness magic brings out in warlocks.”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed. “Eight hundred years?” 

“Magic prolongs our life span. As long as you and your mate are together you will be almost impervious to aging or physical harm. Haven’t you noticed the changes in yourself?”

“I don’t feel pain.”

“You’re gaining strength every day,” Judah said. “Warlocks get stronger as we age, not weaker like humans.”

“I’m immortal?”

“You’re invulnerable to the point of immortality, and your mate will be as well.” 

“How do I bond with her?” Bruce asked. If Bella was invincible, the threat she was running from would be rendered immaterial. She’d be safe.

“There is an incantation done while you’re intimate that opens the mental channel from you to her. She has to be the one to open that pathway,” Judah warned. “Bonding can never be forced on someone. It’s very simple- you speak the words of a spell and then she touches your temple, absorbing the magic from you and you’ll have access to her mind. Over the next few months, or in some cases longer, she’ll gain your magical abilities.” 

“I’ll be able to read her mind,” Bruce said.

Judah shot him a look of censure. “Your bond isn’t for amusement. You must respect her boundaries and need for privacy. The mind is a delicate thing, you can’t invade it thoughtlessly. People have memories and feelings that are best left undisturbed for their own wellbeing. I realize you want to know everything about her but violating her mind is not the way to find those answers.”

“That’s not what I was saying. Bella is guarded and I can’t get her to open up. She’s living under a fake identity and never reveals anything about herself. I’m concerned she’s in danger.” 

The old man’s face hardened. “There is a threat to your mate?” 

“I’m sure of it,” Bruce said.

“You must eliminate any threat to her for your own survival,” Judah said flatly. “I will teach you magic. We’ll begin today, you have a lot to learn.”


	9. Assignation

Chapter Nine: Assignation 

“Love planted a rose, and the world turned sweet.” - Katharine Lee Bates

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bella weaved through the crowded hallway as she tried to reach the break room, only to find it was blocked by a swarm of models. She stepped around one to try and see what the fuss was about, but the pack was too thick. Perfect. Her purse was in there and if she wanted to leave, she needed it. She’d been in heels all day and her arches ached, several of her smaller toes burned in warning: expect blisters tonight. A loud squeal sounded at the front of the crowd.

“What’s going on?” she asked one of the girls beside her.

“Don’t you know? Versace gives out lingerie in the goodie bags after every show. I can’t wait to get mine. Red lace always drives my boyfriend wild.”

Bella tried to process that. Models for the larger brands were often gifted clothes, but they’d all ended up in the back of her closet. or on eBay. In the course of her career she’d never been given underwear. An assistant appeared, pressing through the crowd. A huge box of red gift bags was in her arms and all of a sudden, the girls were clamoring for her, en masse.

“Slow down, ladies there’s enough for everyone,” she barked. 

At her words the frenzy tapered off and the giddy women waited their turns. Next to her the model she’d spoken to bounced on her toes in anticipation. The assistant dropped a bag into Bella’s hands with a wink.

“Have fun tonight,” she teased.

Bella’s face flamed, but no one noticed. 

In the back of the cab she set the bag on the floor at her feet and tried to ignore it. The gift bag screamed at her like the tell-tale heart that had driven Poe’s character insane. 

What was inside? She had to know.

She placed the bag on her lap and undid the string closure. An assortment of lace and silk in half a dozen colors were revealed. She rifled through the items to find G-strings, panties, bras and two baby doll nightgowns. Most of the pieces were lacy, sheer, and tiny. Bella closed the bag, set it at her feet and tried not to think about it. She failed. 

How would Bruce react if she wore something like that for him? Did red lace drive him wild too?

Bella pushed the thoughts away. She couldn’t go back to him. It was too dangerous. The Gotham Vampire had returned to headlines after three bodies had been found in the past week. Bella knew it was Victoria, circling closer and closer. The red head would find her soon enough. If she wanted to live, she’d do the smart thing and get on another plane like she had the first time she’d run from Victoria. 

Five years ago, when she’d first left La Push and the protection of the wolves, she’d driven. She hadn’t had a plan. Bella had been sure Victoria would find her and kill her once she realized she was unprotected. Somehow, that hadn’t happened. Bella had stayed on the move for months before she’d ended up in a dingy motel in Salt Lake City near the airport. The drone of jet engines was impossible to sleep through and she hadn’t bothered to try. As she lay there on the comforter, staring up at the ceiling, inspiration had struck. The memory of how Alice had planned to disappear from James in Phoenix resurfaced and she’d been inspired. Bella raced to the airport and purchased a ticket with as many layovers as possible. By happenstance that ticket had been to Gotham.

To survive she needed to get on another plane and disappear somewhere Victoria would never think to look. Bella shut her eyes and laid her head back on the headrest. She didn’t want to run anymore. She didn’t want to leave the comfortable life she’d built here in Gotham. It was crazy to be apathetic in her current situation, but she was so tired. She’d always be tired. Victoria would never stop. Her torment would never end, not until she was dead. If fate was kind, she wouldn’t be killed by Victoria, but at the price of having a life. It was the rock or the hard place.

Neither, Bella decided. She’d do this on her own terms.

She wanted to live, even if that meant Victoria would kill her. Her death was inevitable. Five years had passed without the slightest sign of her wavering in her commitment to see Bella dead. Pure chance had kept her alive this long, but her number had been up the day Victoria saw her with Edward. She still breathed, but death had marked her. It was odd to think of herself as already dead, but also lightening. Without the will to survive, Bella felt peaceful, like a burden had lifted. Victoria would come. She would die. But in the interim, she was going to live.

Back in her studio apartment, Bella pulled out an armful of dresses from the closet. They were gifts she’d acquired over the past few years. Tossing the pile on the bed she went through the items, looking for something sexy. Something Bruce would like. There was a black halter dress that revealed plenty of cleavage that she thought would work with a good push up bra. She rifled through the lingerie found what she needed and tried on the combination. As she stood in front of the full-length mirror, Bella admitted that even to her own critical eyes, she looked good. 

She took a deep breath to steady herself and called Bruce. It had been more than a week since she’d last seen him and she hoped he would pick up. 

“Bella,” his deep voice rasped in her ear. At the sound, her nipples pebbled against the lace of her bra. 

“Hi,” she said, unable to think of anything else to say.

“What’s wrong,” he asked, a frown in his voice. “You sound nervous.”

“Do you want to meet me somewhere?” she asked in a rush. Her voice came out anxious and wavering. Embarrassment almost made her hang up.

“Yes. Where?” His quick reply startled her.

Bella named a bar near her apartment. It was on the edge of East End in a gentrified neighborhood that wouldn’t send Bruce into an apoplectic fit. She knew he wouldn’t like where she’d chosen to live and when he offered to pick her up she declined. She lied that was already at the bar, and took another taxi to beat him there. Bella ordered a glass of a white wine to steady her nerves as she waited. It didn’t stop her fingers from drumming out an agitated rhythm on the table.

Eight minutes later, Bruce strode through the door. When he caught sight of her he froze for a second before his eyes roamed slowly over her body as if he was drinking her in. 

Bella’s adrenaline spiked and butterflies took flight in her stomach. 

Moving with a grace that defied his size Bruce crossed the room. His eyes never strayed from hers until he stopped and they dipped down to take in the dress’ low neckline. 

His face was hard and when he spoke his voice was an octave deeper. “Let’s go.”

Bella reached for her purse. “One second.”

Bruce pulled a twenty out of his wallet and dropped it on the bar for her wine before she had her purse unzipped. He seized her elbow and led her outside. His grip on her arm was tight and he positioned himself behind her, making her feel like she was being herded. Bruce opened the car door for her and waited in silence. His eyes tracked her every move with palpable hunger as she slid into the low-slung vehicle. Bruce peeled out of the parking spot and headed for the highway. Bella watched out of the corner of her eye as his knuckles tightened on the steering wheel and turned white. The engine roared when they merged onto the interstate. Bruce didn’t say a word but the air was thick with tension. 

When they turned onto his long driveway, Bruce laid his hand on her bare knee. His hand glided over the exposed skin in a gentle massage, moving higher with each slow stroke. The feel of his callused hand on the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh made her shiver. Bruce made a noise of appreciation his throat at her reaction. He pushed her skirt up, exposing her completely and brushed his fingers over the thin lace of her panties. Bella quivered at the light touch.

“Give me your hand,” Bruce growled.

For a moment, she was unsure what he meant. Impatiently he grabbed her hand and laid it where his had just been, covering it with his own.

“Show me what you like.”

What he was asking shocked her, but the shadows in the car made the space seem intimate. Lust hung over them like a thick fog and her inhibitions faded. Her fingers moved, sliding her panties to the side to rub her clit. His hand mimicked her movements, and in seconds she was shifting on the seat, her hand moving faster. The vibrations of the car’s powerful engine rolled through her seat, and she groaned letting her head fall back and shutting her eyes. Focusing on the sensations she stroked the sensitive flesh for him, demonstrating what she liked. Bruce’s hand was warm over hers as he followed her movements. A wave of pleasure made her lose her rhythm but he increased the pressure just as she lost focus. An orgasm was just in reach. Suddenly his hand was gone.

Bella gasped. Her body was begging for release and he’d stopped. “Bruce,” she whimpered as he shifted the car into park in the carport. 

“Not now. Not without me inside of you.”

Her thighs quivered at his words, their effect like a caress that sent fire through her every nerve ending. She was so close. Her hand slid back between her thighs. Before she could touch herself, Bruce caught her hand in a tight grip. She opened her mouth to object, but the look on his face stopped her. He looked tormented, his eyes glassy and desperate. His heavy breathing matched her own ragged pants. 

“Please?” Bella begged.

He threw open his door and before she could move he was around the car, jerking hers open. His hands were at her waist, pulling down her skirt to cover her. Bella moaned in protest. 

“None of that or I’ll fuck you out here on the hood of the car,” Bruce snarled. 

He picked her up, which was a relief because she wasn’t sure her legs would support her. Bruce threw her over his shoulder, strode to the door, and unlocked the it with his fingerprint. He deposited her unceremoniously on the foyer table the second the door closed behind them. She threw her arms around his neck and their mouths crashed together. He tugged down the dress’ zipper and her stomach tightened in anticipation. Bruce pulled the garment over her head in one motion and stiffened. She was left in nothing but the lacy red bra and G-string. His eyes darkened, turning molten with heat, and his tongue darted out to moisten his lips.

His expression was wild as his eyes traveled over her exposed body. “I want to lick every inch of you, but I can’t wait.”

Bruce undid his belt and shoved his pants and boxers to the ground. He pushed aside the scrap of lace that covered her mound and slid two fingers inside of her. She was wet and ready. Bruce pulled out and warned her, “This is going to be fast and hard.”

Bella caught his shoulders and pulled herself up to kiss him. Her hands tangled in his thick hair and her tongue slid past the seam of his lips. 

“Now,” Bella demanded.

He had the presence of mind to grab the condom out of his wallet. Bella shivered in arousal when he pulled her to the edge of the table and positioned her.

“Wrap your legs around my waist.” 

She followed his order and he pushed inside of her. He tried to hold back, to let her adjust to his size, but his control vanished at the feel of her tight wet heat. Bella clung to him as he pounded into her. The feel of him so thick and deep inside of her was exhilarating and she clamped down around him with a shudder. She rotated her hips, seeking more friction. The pleasure was too much and not enough all at the same time. Mindlessly she moved with him, lifting her hips to greet each hard thrust so he’d slide even deeper. Bruce pulled back, almost leaving her body and slammed home in a violent motion that made her convulse as a wave of something so intense it was almost painful washed over her. She cried out, her nails digging into his shoulders.

“Not so fast,” Bruce growled. “I’m just getting started with you.”

Bella sobbed in protest when he changed the angle of penetration to thwart her orgasm. Blood pounded in her head and she thrashed in his arms, desperate for more. Bella circled her hips and begged in fragmented sentences she strained towards the climax she wanted so terribly. Bruce grasped her hips to prevent her movements. She whimpered in objection as he forced her down, so she lay with her back flat on the table. He pushed aside the cup of her bra and sucked on the beaded nipple. She clenched around him and a shiver ran through her body. A keening cry was wrenched from her as he scraped his teeth over the hardened peak.

“Bruce!” she shouted when he thrust deeper, building his tempo to a relentless pace. A single-minded intensity took hold of him and he pounded harder. The foyer table rattled against the wall. He felt his release approaching and shuddered. His fingers found her clit and he rubbed it in rough circles that made her scream and arch against him, going stiff in his arms. Her body went still and her inner muscles clamped like a vise around his dick. Then she trembled, screamed, and shattered. Her orgasm triggered his. With a horse cry he flew over the edge. Bruce collapsed, spent, on top of her.

For a long moment, he lay there, his face buried in her hair. When he pulled back he found her watching him through heavy lidded eyes. The sight of her on his foyer table, bra askew, hair ruffled by his hands and looking thoroughly made love to made him want to repeat the whole experience. Since that was impossible, he did the next best thing. Bruce dropped to his knees in front of her spread legs.

Bella tensed. “Bruce? What are you doing?”

“Quiet,” he said, his breath brushing over her most intimate area. His tongue descended on her and she gasped.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After her second orgasm Bruce gathered into his arms and carried her to the living room. He laid her on the couch and removed her undergarments and then draped a blanket over her limp form. Once he’d stripped off the clothes he hadn’t bothered to take off in the foyer, he crawled under the blanket with her. Bella curled into his side with a contented sigh and lay her head on his chest. Bruce wrapped his arms around her and felt every bit of tension drain away. He shut his eyes and cuddled his mate closer, reveling in the feel of her, here in his arms. 

It had been a hell of a week for him. Every waking moment had been spent with Judah learning magic. The magic wasn’t half as bad as the severe recalibration his world view had undergone over the past week. He’d learned about vampires, werewolves and dozens of other creatures that he’d once dismissed as fairy tales. Bella nuzzled his throat and he tightened his arms around her. 

“I’d been hoping you would call,” Bruce said softly.

Bella pressed her face into his chest. 

“I’d been trying not to call,” she whispered.

“Why?”

His question hung unanswered in the air for a moment. “I’m not sure what this is. I don’t do this sort of thing.”

“Believe me I know,” he said as he recalled the morning he’d discovered the evidence of her virginity on his sheets.

“I don’t mean that. I haven’t been a relationship in years.”

Bruce’s heart sped up at her confession – she was confiding in him. He slid his hand into her hair and stroked it gently. 

“Why?” 

She paused. “I just haven’t.”

“No bad break up to turn you off men?” he baited.

At his words she went rigid.

Bella looked up at him. “How did you know?”

“You don’t trust me. You’ve run away from me three times now and times it’s beginning to make sense.”

He could tell this revelation upset her and she ducked her head to press her face into his throat. Her breathing was ragged, and she leaned into him, as if she was seeking comfort. Bruce wrapped his arms around her and propped his chin on top of her head. He rocked her back and forth as his hands stroked her back. 

“Tell me,” Bruce said.

Bella shivered, and he felt her shake her head no. “I can’t” she said, her voice cracking on the last word. 

“Honey, please, I can make it better.” 

She made a strangled sound somewhere between disagreement and pain. He felt her tremble against him and then felt dampness on his neck. Tears. Bruce pried her away from his chest and clasped her face in his hands, angling her head back so she was forced to look at him.

“Give me a name.”

“Edward.”

All the heartbreak in the world was captured by that one word.

“Did he hurt you?”

“Not physically, but this is worse.”

“Yes, it is,” Bruce agreed. She looked so forlorn he wanted to hide her away from the rest of the world, in a place she’d never feel pain again. The protectiveness that stirred inside of him was an instinct he’d forgotten existed. But it flared to life now, like wildfire catching to dry grass in August. 

“I’m sorry,” Bella said. She tried to pull away from him, but he read the instinct to flee on her face. Bruce held her tighter as she attempted to escape his arms. 

“Just let me go,” she said as she struggled against his grasp. “I’m not good for you. Or for anyone.”

It was the truth. She was like typhoid Mary, but she spread Victoria, an even deadlier killer than bacteria. 

“I won’t let you go.”

She was his anchor and his mate. Nothing could make him walk away from her. Bella collapsed, as she saw there was no way out. She’d have to persuade him. 

“Help me understand,” Bruce said.

Bella looked him in the eye and his heart seized when he saw the fear reflected in them.

“I can’t!”

“You can.” 

She shook her head. 

Bruce’s face hardened. “You won’t,”

“I suppose you’re right,” Bella said. “Where does this leave us?”

“Is there an us?”

Bruce held his breath as he waited for her verdict. 

“I want to keep seeing you. But I can’t give you a normal relationship, if that’s what you want. I won’t do that again.”

It was more than she’d ever revealed to him, yet nothing at the same time. Just like before. But he’d take whatever she offered. “Alright.”

Bella looked startled. “Alright?” 

“I’ll settle, for now.”

Her expression shuttered at the caveat he tacked on. “Bruce…”

He put a finger over her lips. “Listen to me, honey. I’ll do this your way. If you want sex, it’s yours.” She blushed. “But this is more than sex and you won’t be able to deny it for long. Then, when you’re ready, you’ll tell me everything.”

Bella hesitated. “You’re okay with having an……arrangement?”

He grinned at her careful wording. “For now, yes.”


	10. Open Season

Chapter Ten: Open Season

“There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.”- Ernest Hemingway

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce walked into the bat cave the next morning with a smile, not bothering to hide the spring in his step. Alfred and Judah sat at the workbench with their coffee. As he came down the stairs, both men turned to stare. Judah cocked his head to the side, his gaze assessing, and Alfred looked incredulous. 

“What?” Bruce asked when the weight of their eyes became uncomfortable. 

“You’re happy,” Alfred said as if it was a bizarre occurrence. 

“Yes, sometimes that happens.”

The butler pursed his lips, his expression dubious. Judah snorted. 

“Is there something you’d like to add?” Bruce addressed the former warlock.

He’d shaved his beard and cut his long hair, the results of which knocked twenty years off his appearance. It was difficult to reconcile the elegant gentleman who smirked at him now with the wizened old man he’d met last week. 

Judah turned to Alfred. “His mate came by last night. His magic is much more centered this morning.”

“She did this? What kind of magic does she practice?”

“Warlock whispering,” Judah said with a grin.

“Clearly. He hasn’t smiled like that in a decade. I’m not sure I like it.”

Bruce ignored their banter and helped himself to a cup of coffee. He’d dropped Bella off this morning at a downtown studio for an early photoshoot. It had taken great restraint to let his mate walk away. He’d reminded himself that they were now lovers and managed to restrain himself. The label gave him a quantifiable claim over her and assured him she’d come back. If not, he’d track her down, but he was almost sure he wouldn’t need to resort to such desperate measures. Bella had begun to trust him. She’d willingly given him her phone number, reached out to him last night and she’d even revealed a name. Edward. It wasn’t much to go on, but Forks was a small town. He’d put a face to the name soon enough. The puzzle that surrounded his mate would work itself out one way or another. 

“We have a problem,” Judah said. 

“What would that be?” Alfred asked. 

“This.” Picking up the remote, the warlock unmuted the T.V. in the corner.

A newscaster’s voice filled the room. “Another body was found early this morning in the Otisburg neighborhood, behind Stagg Enterprises, in what is thought to be the latest victim of the Gotham Vampire. The remains were located before the facilities opened in one of the back dumpsters by janitors and police were contacted. Authorities have revealed that the body was drained of blood and had been severely mutilated. If this is in fact the work of the Gotham Vampire, this brings the known body count to fourteen within the past three weeks. The vampire has been known to authorities since May, and his total number of victims has reached twenty-one within the last nine weeks, an unprecedented rate. Though details are still emerging and in short supply, a source revealed that there are no new leads.” 

“There is a vampire in Gotham,” Judah said. “And we need to get rid of it.”

A long silence followed his announcement.

“Are you saying that the Gotham Vampire is actually a…. vampire?” Alfred asked. 

“Yes.”

Bruce crossed his arms. “How can you be sure?”

“When you know what to look for the signs are easy to spot. This isn’t a wildly active serial killer, or even a team of them. It’s a vampire and if we don’t take care of this, the Volturi will.”

“Just to get more fodder for my nightmares,” Alfred sighed, “I’m going to ask. What’s the Volturi?”

“They’re vampire royalty and they enforce the laws of their kind. Only one law is enforced -never reveal yourself to humans. Vampires are expected to avoid suspicion when they hunt. This one has taken no precautions at all. The Volturi is usually eager to make an example out of troublemakers. I can’t believe they’ve let the situation get this far out of hand.” 

“If it’s their job to get rid of this vampire, why don’t we let them,” Bruce asked.

“A visit from the Volturi never ends well for anyone. They’ll kill the vampire but who knows how large of a force they’ll dispatch to the city? This is only one vampire creating all these headlines. Imagine a half dozen like it – your city would be over run. The safest option for Gotham is for us to handle this ourselves.”

“What do we do?” Bruce asked.

“You’re going to learn to hunt vampires.” 

Judah allowed Bruce to finish his coffee and change before they began. 

“Why don’t we start with what you know,” the warlock suggested. “bring up the green flames.”

Bruce flexed his hands and the emerald flames exploded. It was easy to call the magic up after last week’s practice.

“The green color of the magic represents raw, unprocessed magic. From here there are four main ways you can alter it. First there are shield spells, which will turn the magic blue. Healing spells are white, transformational spells are yellow and defensive spells are purple.” 

Bruce raised an eyebrow. “There are only four spells?”

“No. Most spells are done with raw magic but specialized spells for shields, healing, transformation and defense are stronger when the magic is prepared for that particular application. You could do a shield spell with raw magic, but it would wouldn’t be as strong as one done with magic modified for that spell.”

With some practice, Bruce could transform the green magic into the four distinct colors. The purple flames for defensive spells came the easiest to him. By the afternoon, he’d managed to conjure violet colored bolts of lightning and use them effectively against Judah’s attacks. Shield spells were a struggle. On his first attempts Judah managed to walk right through the spell without needing magic to break it. Only with great concentration was he able to hold the spell in place. 

“Now do a shield spell and throw a defensive spell at the same time,” he challenged Bruce. 

Bruce concentrated. With his left hand he cast the blue spell and drew purple fire in his right. The purple flickered, turning blue briefly before he managed to turn it back. 

“Harder than it looks, isn’t it?”

The shield spell dropped as he concentrated harder on the purple fire in his right hand. 

“Focus on the shield spell first,” Judah instructed. “A shield spell once done, can hold its own shape for a short period of time. You only need to cast the spell and then stabilize it. Then you’re free to concentrate on the defensive spell and aim without distraction. Shield spells can even be applied to objects, though they only last for a short period of time. The larger area the spell is done over, the longer they last.”

They spent the rest of the day practicing until Judah was satisfied that Bruce could perform all of the spells.

“There are two main threats when in a fight with a vampire. First there’s their venom. Your magic is in your blood so when they bite you, they won’t keep their teeth in you for long – you taste horrible. The magic will act as a buffer against their venom and prevent you from transforming, but it the chemical interaction of your magic and the venom produces byproducts that are poisonous. The venom will mix with your blood and spread, so the only antidote is for you to destroy the poison yourself.”

“How?” 

“You’d need to find the venom with a healing spell and then use a defensive spell to destroy it if bitten,” Judah said.

When Bruce had mastered the spell, Judah taught him hexes for tracking the magical resonance vampires left behind. 

“I think you’re ready to try a transformation spell,” Judah said finally. “I want you to try a spell on yourself that will transform your body into mist. In this form, you’ll be able to travel through the air, hidden in the particles of oxygen and nitrogen that make up the atmosphere.”

It took a few tries, but he managed to separate the solid form of his body into the air. However, a gray cloud remained. 

“I suppose that’s good enough,” Judah mused, looking at the hazy mist that was Bruce. 

He solidified himself. “Good enough for what?”

“I think it’s time we got you some real-world experience hunting vampires.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You need a mask,” Bruce told Judah.

They were parked in the batmobile behind Stagg Enterprises, hidden by the evening shadows. Judah wrinkled his nose at the comment and pushed open his door, stepping out. He flipped up the hood to his monk’s robe and let it fall over his face. 

“This has worked fine for the past eight hundred years, it will work tonight.” 

Bruce followed the warlock toward the dumpsters. He kept one eye on the security cameras aimed into the alley.

“Keep your head down.”

“I’m done an obscuring spell over myself, the cameras aren’t picking me up at all. You on the other hand…” He paused and gave Bruce a once over. The warlock pursed his lips and squinted. “They’re picking that up in technicolor. I think it’s you who needs a better disguise. Something less distinct.”

“This suit has worked for twenty years.”

“Yes, the problem is that everyone will notice if batman starts throwing around bolts of magic. I can already imagine the headlines,” Judah grumbled.  
“No one is going to see me tonight. And I won’t need magic to hide either.” 

“Just do the tracking spell.”

Bruce let it go, and turned to the dumpster. It was still cordoned off by crime scene tape and the smell of death hung over the alley. He raised his hands like he was surrendering and searched for the residue of magic. It took a second to find and when he did it reacted with his magic to turn a strange color of orange. 

Judah gave a grunt of approval. “Not bad. Get a sense of the magic so you’ll remember it.”

Bruce reached into the gossamer orange light he felt the resonance and vibrations of the magic, committing them to memory. As he felt around the edges he picked up something else, something that felt distinct from the other magic. Bruce touched the area and watched as it changed color, darkening to crimson. 

“What’s that?”

“I’m not sure,” Judah said. “Perhaps it’s another person’s resonance. It looks older than the orange.”

“Another warlock?”

“No, it would be green if it was a warlock’s magic. There isn’t enough of it to read.”

The orange and red colors mingled in the air, but the orange was predominant. 

“I’ve got it,” Bruce said. “Now what?”

“We go hunting.”

Back in the batmobile Bruce pressed the button for sleuth mode and the vehicle turned invisible. 

“You don’t need magic for everything, now do you,” he taunted the warlock.

Judah smiled patronizingly. “Magic would do a much better job of masking your presence. But I suppose this will do. I wouldn’t want you to strain yourself.”

Bruce sped onto the street and headed for the highway. He cast a wide net with his mind as he searched the city for the resonance of magic he’d felt. For hours, they drove as the night stretched into the wee hours of the morning. Nothing magical seemed to be moving in the city at all as far as he could tell. Disappointment burned. He’d been itching for a fight. Something about being back in his armor, feeling under control for the first time in two years had made him hopeful. Out of habit he drove towards East End, near crime alley. 

He slammed on the breaks. “She’s here.”

“Go after her,” Judah ordered. “I’ll take the batmobile.”

Bruce dissolved himself into mist and flew into the alley. He could feel the magical signature like it was a beacon that called to him. The vibrations of the magic were so close the hair on the back of his neck stood up. She was close. It was a woman. How he knew, he couldn’t tell, but he was certain of it. A flash of red hair caught his eye.

He’d found her.

Bruce solidified himself from mist to solid without having to think of the spell. She whirled to face him, surprised. He paused to let her take in the sight that had frozen many a criminal before her. A smile tilted up her mouth. The glowing crimson eyes lit with a predatory gleam.

“Why hello, love,” she called. “Fancy meeting you here.” 

The redhead sauntered towards him, a swing in her hips and an inviting smile on her face. He waited as she approached him noting that she didn’t seem alarmed by his presence. 

“I’ve always wanted to meet Batman,” she said throatily. “You’re a special one, aren’t you? I think I just might keep you. Such a cute costume.”

The redhead lunged for his throat, so fast she blurred in his vision. Bruce threw up a shield just in time and the vampire collided with the magical barrier. A crack like thunder, so loud it hurt his ears sounded and she was thrown back several yards. Adrenaline and satisfaction mingled in his blood, a feeling he’d missed so much since he’d hung up his cowl. 

Bruce stalked forward. As he came closer he drew purple fire over his hands.

In the space of a second the woman recovered and flipped to her feet. On second she lay stunned on the ground and the next she twisted with catlike grace and landed in a crouch. Her scarlet eyes gleamed under the florescent lights of the alley. The redhead stalked towards him.

He didn’t wait for another attack. Bruce drew the power in his hands and threw twin bolts of violet lightening. The magic hit the vampire in the chest and drove her to her knees. Fissure like cracks had appeared in her chest and smoke rose from her singed skin. She shrank back, fear flashing over her face. 

“What are you?” she gasped.

Bruce didn’t reply. He let the purple flames rise and crawl up his forearms.

The power of the magic made his skin tingle as his hands clenched into fists. Just as he readied himself to deliver the bolt that would rid this menace from his city, she dodged. Purple lightning struck the wall where she’d been, and a chunk of concrete was turned to ash.

“Riley!!” the redhead screamed. 

He ignored her cry and threw a second bolt of purple lightening, this one finding its target. The magic hit her on the forehead and she collapsed. Bruce focused as much power as he could into his final blow, knowing to end her, he’d need all his strength. Before he could harness the power, he was slammed into from behind with the force of a train. Bruce transformed into mist before he could be crushed against the wall. He transported himself to the shadows and solidified. 

At the end of the alley a blonde boy stood, his face twisted into a hateful snarl. Victoria had a partner.

The boy couldn’t have been more than a teenager. Even with the snarl, he looked more like the captain of a varsity football team than a killer. Light glinted off his sharp teeth and he hissed in Bruce’s direction. The male leapt the distance between them – more than fifty feet – and went for Bruce’s throat. This time he was faster with the shield spell and caught the boy in mid-air. He was thrown backwards and hit the wall with a resounding crack. The boy landed on his feet and spun around to drop into a hunting crouch. He slunk towards Bruce in measured paces, undeterred by the show of power. He threw a bolt of purple lightening at the boy and he moved in a blur, dodging the magic but not quickly enough. It caught him on the arm by a graze and he screamed. 

A woman’s voice rang out. “Run!”

Bruce whirled to see the redhead spring to her feet. A gust of wind whipped past him and he knew Riley had followed her. 

The alley was empty except for the destruction their fight had wrought. 

“Damn it,” Bruce swore. 

His com link crackled to life. 

“How’d it go?” Judah asked. 

“She disappeared. And she has a friend.”

Silence followed but he could hear Judah’s displeasure through the line. “Get back to the cave. We’ve got work to do.”

Five days later, Bruce couldn’t remember being exhausted like this since training to become Batman. Judah was a hard task master who took progress as a sign to push harder. They’d practiced non-stop and Judah had finally declared him ready to take on the redhead next time they found her. For now, the city was quiet. No new murders had occurred, and the Stagg industries case had the police stumped.

Bruce slept hard, in total blackout mode. It was more than twelve hours before he woke. The clock read half past noon. He’d planned on meeting Lucius for a business dinner but found that he wasn’t in the mood, so he picked up his phone to cancel. A text blinked, and Bruce opened it, surprised to see it was from Bella. He hadn’t seen or heard from her all week. 

Her message was simple: Hey.

He studied the text, wondering what to make of it. Was she trying to start a conversation? Bruce was amazed at how much he wanted that. He wanted it more than he wanted to get her in bed again, which was an unprecedented situation. An evening with Bella sitting in the living room, her answering all his questions willingly, danced like a vision in his head. He had so many questions.

What had happened to her father, her friend who’d disappeared, to Edward? Why she had fled Washington? Aside from the important facts, he was dying to know more about her in general. Why had she majored in Computer Science? What did she do when she was bored, what music did she listen to? What was her favorite color? He wanted to know everything. 

Wishful thinking wouldn’t get him anywhere. 

Bruce typed out a message. Meet me for dinner tonight, 7 o’clock, La Callie. 

In a few minutes his phone buzzed with her reply. Alright. 

Excitement gathered inside of him. She’d agreed. Despite what she said about not being in a relationship with him, she was letting him take her out. It was more progress than he’d hoped for.


	11. A Nightmare Relived

Chapter Eleven: A Nightmare Relived

“Real intimacy is only possible to the degree that we can be honest about what we are doing and feeling.” -Joyce Brothers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce arrived at the restaurant early and slipped into the shadows to wait for Bella. 

Within a few minutes a cab pulled up and she stepped out. Bruce moved into the light, right into her path. She looked up, surprised, and tripped. Bruce caught her arm just before she fell. 

“Careful,” he warned.

“Sorry. Balancing has never been my thing.”

His eyes traveled down her feet and he noted that she was wearing heels, but lower ones than he’d seen before. 

“Those are nothing compared to what you wear in fashion shows,” he said as he took her arm.

“I guess my luck is running out,” Bella said lightly. 

Her words were casual banter, but there was something off about her tone. The humor was strung with tension and he could detect a note of darkness in her words. He pondered the comment as they followed the hostess to their reserved private dining room. 

My luck is running out. Why did it sound so ominous? His instinct was to take her seriously, but he couldn’t say why. Perhaps he was better at reading her now because he could sense a turmoil about her that concerned him. 

In the dining room the table had already been laid out with the sampling of the menu that he’d ordered, a total of twenty-seven small dishes on the ten-foot table. Bruce pulled out Bella’s chair for her and took a seat at the head of the table. 

“What’s all this?” Bella asked.

“The entire menu.”

Her eyes widened. “You ordered the entire menu?”

“Of course.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She liked Bruce too much.

In fact, she liked him so much that even though she knew agreeing to go out with him tonight was asking for trouble, she was here. Bella felt more for this man than she’d thought herself capable of after everything that had happened to her. A few weeks ago, she’d have said that she was just attracted to him. Now she realized that he was irresistible to her. Why else would she come back when she knew it put him in danger? If she was a good person she’d disappear somewhere she could never hurt anyone again, but Bella had accepted a long time ago that she wasn’t.

Bruce leaned closer to her as they talked, and she caught the scent of expensive cologne and something else that was all him. He was asking too many questions tonight. As she started on her second glass of wine, she found herself answering some of them. Words began to fall from her lips as her guard was lowered by the safety of his company and the pleasant buzz of alcohol. 

“My parents divorced when I was a year old,” she said when he asked about her family. “I lived with my mother and saw my father in the summer.”

“Were you close with him?”

She couldn’t help but smile. Had she and Charlie ever been close? “Yes, I suppose. We were a lot alike. My Mom remarried when I was in high school and I went to live with him.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Were alike? As in past tense?”

The keen observation startled her. “He died my senior year.”

It felt wrong to say died. It was too tame of a word to capture the brutality of what Victoria had done to him. Memories rose to the surface and her stomach roiled in protest. Bella took a deep breath to fight back the lump in her throat. A warm hand covered hers.

“I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories, sweetheart.”

“They’re not all bad. I can think about him without thinking only of his death now. What about your parents?”

“I lost them both when I was eight. They were killed in a botched mugging in East End.”

Bella squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry.”

He must have seen understanding in her eyes, judging by his next question.

“How did your father die?”

She knew she needed to lie. To protect him from her past and keep her identity secret it was essential. The truth slipped out instead.

“He was murdered.”

She didn’t notice his lack of surprise as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. 

“Did they ever find the person responsible?”

Bella’s voice was hoarse with tears. “No.”

“Does that ever worry you,” he asked. Concern danced in his eyes and when she met them, she couldn’t formulate the lie she needed to tell. 

“Yes.”

The honest revelation hung there, between them for a long moment. Bruce pushed his seat back from the table and opened his arms.

“Come here.”

Bella reached for him and when he pulled her out of her chair she didn’t protest. Bruce settled her on his lap and let her burrow into his arms. The feeling of him surrounding her, the warmth of his chest pressing against her made the rawness in her throat ease. Bella let out a shuddering breath and laid her head against his shoulder.

“Are you afraid?” he whispered in her ear.

Say no.

“Sometimes.”

Right now, with Victoria breathing down her neck, she was terrified. That was part of the reason she’d agreed to go out with him tonight. She needed the distraction. A part of her she couldn’t deny insisted she seize whatever happy experiences were possible in the short time that remained.

“Stay with me. I can protect you.”

“No one can protect me.”

Her words rang with truth and he knew they weren’t bravado- she believed what she said. He couldn’t accept that.

“How do you know?”

Bella’s arms tightened around his neck and for a long minute she was silent.

She pressed her face against his throat and he felt her lashes flutter, tickling his neck as she shut her eyes. When Bella spoke, her voice was soft.

“The night I found my father’s body I had been out until two. I didn't have much of a curfew, but I knew he'd be upset at me coming home a few hours before dawn on a school night. I was trying to be quiet, hoping Charlie had fallen asleep watching the game and I could sneak upstairs.”

Helplessness burned in Bruce’s stomach. He knew where this was going but there was no way he could protect her from the past.

“I took off my shoes at the door so that he wouldn’t hear my footsteps and walked into the living room. By the couch, I stepped in something wet.” 

Her breath caught, and she lapsed into silence. Nausea cramped his stomach as he guessed what had happened.

“It was his blood.”

Bruce swore. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“I didn’t realize what it was. I thought something had spilled and I went to turn on the light switch, but I slipped. When the lights came on I saw the blood all over me and all over the floor. At first I couldn’t find the body.” 

“I followed the blood trail to the kitchen. He was on the floor and he was still alive.”

Bruce’s heart clenched. The image of her kneeling over her father’s body watching the life drain out of him, covered in his blood was burned into his mind.

“He was gone in a few seconds. The police took me to a friend’s house and I stayed with them until I graduated, despite my Mom wanting me to come live with her. I was close to graduation and I didn’t want to move schools. Administration was accommodating about letting me take the rest of my classes online.” 

Bruce noticed that she was shaking and saw the goosebumps that had broken out on her skin. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms to warm her. He knew she was vulnerable after retelling her trauma and he wasn’t above taking advantage of it. 

“Move in with me.”

“No. You’d only be putting yourself at risk.”

His arms constricted. “Versus letting you put yourself at risk?”

Bella didn’t answer. She pushed off his chest to sit up straight and look at him. There were tear tracks on her face and he brushed away the dampness with his thumbs. 

She sighed. “I’m sorry, I unloaded on you.”

It didn’t escape his notice that she’d avoided the question, but he let it slide. 

“I asked you to. What did the investigation turn up?”

“Nothing. My Dad had some enemies but no one who would kill him.”

No, it had been her enemies who’d done that.

Bruce noticed her subdued manner and chalked it up to emotional distress. 

He held her for a while longer and when she turned the conversation to him, he went with it. His stories about boarding school in England made her smile. When he told her how he’d hotwired the Probst’s car on a dare she laughed. The car had gotten stuck in a field, which he swore was the only reason he and his friends had gotten caught. To his relief, the silly story managed to pull her out of her melancholy. 

“What happened to your chin,” Bella asked suddenly, turning in his lap to catch his face between her hands.

It took him a second to realize what she referred to.

“You have a bruise right here.” Gently she brushed over a spot on the underside of his jaw with her thumb.

“Sparring match at the gym,” Bruce said. “My new partner packs a punch.”

She didn’t look persuaded and for a moment he wondered if he’d lost his talent for deception. His answer was as close to the truth as he could give her. This afternoon Judah had thrown an uppercut that knocked him across the bat cave, where he’d slammed into the wall. The old man was as strong as Clark Kent. 

Bella’s fingers stroked over his jaw and something hot flared in her eyes.

Fire crackled between them as her gaze dropped to his mouth. He tried to control himself and ignore the boiling of his blood, but he couldn’t fight the lust that curled in his groin. Bruce took a deep breath. The urge to pick her up and spread her out on the table overwhelmed him. Saliva flooded his mouth as he anticipated what she would taste like. 

Stop, he ordered himself. 

She’d just relived a terrible trauma and the last thing he wanted to do was make untoward advances on her. Bella turned and swung her leg out so that she settled over him, straddling his hips.

“Bella…”

Tonight wasn’t supposed to be about the physical. It was supposed to be about getting her to open up and establishing an emotional connection. But she was already leaning down, slightly taller than him in this position, and kissing him. Bella was the aggressor here, her tongue sliding into his mouth as her hands grasped his hair. He groaned, the novelty of being under her control making the lust in his stomach burn even hotter. She rocked against him as he hardened and lengthened, and he growled with pleasure. His thoughts fragmented as he forgot the reasons they shouldn’t do this.

She melted against him when he pulled her closer. His head spun as their mouths danced together and their tongues flicked against one another. Bella scraped her nails over the back of his neck and electricity raced through him. His hand fisted in her hair as he took control of the kiss. Without a pause, he picked her up and stood, pushing aside the plates with his free arm. Her hands clutched at his shoulders for balance before he lowered her on to the table. She protested the separation with an unhappy noise and grabbed the lapels of his jacket to bring him down with her. 

Bruce was happy to oblige and leaned down to kiss her again, pressing his weight on top of her. Her legs wrapped around his hips. In this position, without the barrier of his trousers and her panties, he’d be buried inside of her. Bruce slid a hand under her skirt, which had ridden up, and caressed the soft cheek of her bottom. Bella moaned in response and her legs cinched around him as her hips rocked forward.

An animalistic growl came from his throat and his tongue delved deeper into her mouth. She slanted her head to the side to give him a better angle. Each stroke of his tongue against hers made her roll her hips, silently begging. Her hands grasped his face and petted the scratchy stubble he’d forgotten to shave off. His pulse pounded in his head as she writhed under him, each wiggle rubbing her body against his, making him burn with need. His cock throbbed angrily, demanding action. 

Bruce tugged down the hidden zipper at the side of her dress and Bella raised her arms, cooperating as he jerked it over her head and tossed it aside. She wasn’t wearing a bra and his hands cupped her breasts in appreciation before he dropped his head to lavish them with attention. He was rewarded when she arched into him and whimpered. When he scrapped over the sensitive peak of one with his teeth she moaned and he felt her thighs clench. He repeated the treatment to her twin which elicited an even stronger response.  
He was painfully aroused now. It was a struggle not to tear off her panties and slide into her. 

Bruce forced himself to slow down and take his time took all his self-control. He teased her nipples until they were wet from his mouth and she was thrashed under him in frustration before he kissed a pathway down her belly. His hand touched her thigh and he took a moment to appreciate its silky smoothness as he slid up to her center. His hand settled over her sex and he felt the heat of her, the wetness that had soaked through the thin material of her panties. She mewled softly and rolled her hips into his palm, her head falling back to expose the pale column of her throat. 

He couldn’t hold back. His hand went to his belt and he loosened it without bothering to undo the buckle. Unzipping his pants, he freed himself and pushed aside the delicate lace of her panties. He drove inside of her with one hard thrust. Bella gasped at the hard entrance but it didn’t seem like the rough movement had hurt her. She shuddered under him and sobbed with pleasure. Her legs squeezed him closer even as he pulled back to pound home again. 

Bella arched her back as she met his thrusts. His hips jerked forward of their own accord as her inner muscles rippled around him. Bruce grasped her hips and lifted her so that he could slide deeper. His orgasm was within reach now. Bella squirmed under him, but wasn’t quite as far along as he wanted her to be. He dragged his thumb over her primed clit and her body spasmed. He did it again just to watch her face and hear her cry out. When he pushed inside her again, she clamped around him so tight he could hardly move. Her body went stiff and she screamed. 

Bruce kissed her to muffle the sound from giving them away to the other patrons, separated from them only by the poorly insulated walls of the private dining room. She kissed him back and the stimulation drove him over the edge. His hips bucked, driving him deeper. He heard himself growl against her lips and came, emptying himself into her. The climax was so intense black edged his vision and his knees gave out and he collapsed over her. His heartbeat pounded in his fingers and toes. The sound of their ragged breathing filled the room and he dropped his head to her shoulder. Bruce pressed his forehead into her skin as he tried to pull himself together. He shifted his weight and she let out a startled whimper as her channel fluttered around him.

Bruce went still. “Sorry, baby.”

“Aftershocks,” Bella gasped. “I’m fine.”

He liked the breathless sound of her voice as much as knowing he was the reason for it. After a few minutes, her orgasm faded, and he slipped out of her. Then he saw that for the second time, he’d forgotten to protect her. Bruce looked down at the evidence of their coupling on her thighs and a primitive part of him was pleased. He tried to make himself appear remorseful. 

“We forgot again.”

Bella propped herself up on her elbows, looked down, and blushed.

“You know I’m on birth control.”

Unfortunately. Bruce ignored the errant thought. He took the cloth napkin and dampened it in his water glass before he cleaned her up. 

“You don’t have to,” she protested. “I can-”

“No,” Bruce hushed her. 

He watched her reaction as he washed away the thick liquid. She quivered when he brushed the cloth over her swollen clit. Bella sent him a sharp look.

“I’m done,” she objected, sensing that he wanted to start a second round. 

“I could prove you wrong.”

“I can’t,” Bella said and then when his eyes lit at the unintentional challenge, backtracked. “I’m too sensitive right now.” 

“Alright,” he promised.

He finished and tossed the linen napkin in the corner trash can to hide the evidence of their tryst. She let him redress her but there was a shyness about her all of a sudden. Bruce didn’t like it and when he’d fixed her clothing he wrapped his arms around her from behind and propped his chin on top of her head. He nuzzled the crown of her head as he savored the perfect way she fit into his arms.

“Talk to me, honey,” he said.

“I didn’t mean to jump you at the dinner table. You must think I’m a sex-starved manic.”

“I dragged you into my bed ten minutes after I met you and you’re the manic?” 

Bella laughed. He felt some of the tension release from her body at his light words. 

“You know, turnabout is fair play. I think you get to jump me a few more times before I can make any judgments.”

She turned in his arms and hugged him. He squeezed her gently and pressed a kiss to her hair. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?”

“Listening.”

“I’m here,” Bruce said firmly. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Her answering “yes,” was too immediate for it to be honest.

“Come on. We’re going back to my place.”


	12. The Cold Hard Truth

Chapter Twelve: The Cold Hard Truth

“A lie would have no sense unless the truth were felt dangerous.” -Alfred Adler

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After talking about Charlie’s murder Bella felt fragile. It had been five years since his death and despite that distance, the pain and guilt still caught up with her sometimes. 

Tonight, her guilt felt closer than usual. Bruce seemed to pick up on her disquiet and he didn’t push her. Instead he asked what her favorite movie was and put it on. He draped his arm over the back of the couch and she leaned into his side to savor his warmth. At the halfway point, she felt her eyelids begin to droop and didn’t bother to fight the pull. Bruce shifted and wrapped his arms around her as she let herself drift on the edge of sleep, feeling safe and content. The latter was uncommon and the former almost unheard of in the past half-decade of her life. Any illusion of safety had been ripped away when Victoria had murdered Charlie. But here in the darkened room, wrapped in Bruce’s arms it returned. He made her feel so many things. Things she shouldn’t feel. Somehow, she’d opened up to him and he’d wormed his way inside of her heart.

Do I love him? The shocking question crossed her mind without warning.

No, Bella rejected. It was outrageous. It was impossible. But it was true. 

She loved him.

She thought back and tried to pin point when she’d fallen for Bruce. Nothing jumped out at her. It wasn’t like Edward, where she’d fallen for hard and fast. Falling in love with Edward had been like being sucked into a whirlpool. There had been no stopping the magnetic pull between them once it had started. The night he’d rescued her in Port Angeles she’d known by the time dinner was over that she loved him irrevocably. Even after the murders of her father and Jake, there was still some uncrushable part of her that loved him. 

But that version of her had died so she could survive. 

The night Bella had left La Push, she’d stepped out into the frightening world where Victoria hunted her and left behind the teenage girl she’d been. As surely as if her heart had stopped beating, the Bella Swan that had loved Edward Cullen was dead. To endure she’d had to let go of everything that held her back and her love for Edward had been a heavy burden. This new person she’d grown into was harder and more confident after having to fend for herself and managing to survive against impossible odds. She’d learned her lesson about love, or so she’d thought.

In retrospect it was clear that her feelings for Bruce had grown with every assignation. Their chemistry had distracted her from the emotions that had grown in her heart. It had just been sex. But it was so much more than sex. Without a seed of romance, at least on her side, would she have let him take her virginity that first night? She knew herself well enough to know she needed an emotional connection to even consider sleeping with him. Feelings as much as lust had gotten her into his bed. Now they were too deep to be denied.

She was in love with Bruce Wayne – and she couldn’t have him.

Bruce felt something for her too. Whether or not it was love, she didn’t know but he wouldn’t have chased her if she’d just been a one-night stand. Bruce would find someone else when she was dead, Bella promised herself. Any woman would be happy to have him. He was handsome, rich, and charming. No one could ask for more. It disgusted her to think of some faceless woman he’d settle down with someday. Would she appreciate the man behind the face, the human behind the wealth and charm? Anger flared to life inside of her chest. This wasn’t fair. What cruel twist of fate had let her fall in love with him now, just as Victoria’s noose tightened around her neck? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the morning Bella woke up next to Bruce. He was asleep, face down in the pillow, with his large frame sprawled over three quarters of the bed. She stared at him, so peaceful in sleep and a strange feeling made her heart stir, a combination of tenderness and pain, as she realized this was the last time she could see him. If he fell in love with her it would hurt him when she died. That was the last thing she wanted. Just the thought of saying goodbye made a lump rise in her throat but he deserved that much from her. And he wouldn’t know it was permanent this time. One more morning, Bella decided. She’d allow them that much. Then she’d walk into Victoria’s arms when the time came and surrender to her fate. Bruce stirred beside her and one brawny arm snaked out and wrapped around her waist. He dragged her across the bed and rolled onto his side, enveloping her in a tight grasp.

Bella giggled. “Good morning sleepyhead.”

Bruce grumbled something unintelligible and squeezed her waist.

“Come on, I’m starving,” she said. “It’s almost ten.”

They dragged themselves out of bed and to the kitchen where Bruce insisted on cooking. 

“I’ll never get the chance to show off in the kitchen if you keep feeding me,” she complained.

“I’m showing off for you. Next time I’ll let you cook.”

Her heart ached because she knew there wouldn’t be a next time. 

As he cracked eggs in to a bowl, Bruce resumed his questions. “Why’d you move to Gotham?”

There was no point in hiding information from him now. In a few days or so she’d be dead, and it wouldn’t matter if he knew her real name or not. 

“It had a good college.”

“Where else did you get in?”

“I’d been thinking about going to Dartmouth. But I changed my plans.”

“Because of what happened to your father?”

“No. I’d planned to go with Edward.”

Excitement warmed his blood. This was the second time she’d mentioned her ex-boyfriend. Could he push her to reveal more?

“But you didn’t?”

She felt her expression go blank as the hole inside of her chest throbbed at the memories his question dragged to the surface. “He left.” 

Bruce turned serious. “He was a fool. And his loss is my gain.”

It was impossible not to feel reassured by the confidence in his words. A smile curved her mouth and she wished they could have had more time. 

“Thank you.” Bella pushed herself up on the counter, leaned across the island and kissed him.

The French toast was as fantastic as Bruce had promised it would be, but she talked the entire meal. Bella grilled Bruce the same way he’d grilled her the past few times they’d been together. They only had a few short hours left and she intended to use them to learn as much as she could about him. He obliged, and she soaked up every detail and savored the sound of his voice. She tried to memorize every detail of his chiseled, handsome face, from the whiskey brown of his eyes to the straight narrow nose and the dimple on his chin. 

Bruce removed their plates and deposited them in the sink before he returned to the table. When he took her hands, his face was solemn.

“Bella, I want to ask you something.” He waited for her to nod and then continued. 

“I’ve been thinking about what we discussed at dinner the other night. I’d like you to move in with me.”

Bella stared at him. “What?”

“You said you didn’t feel safe with your father’s killer on the loose. Bella I’m aware that you don’t know who I am, and I haven’t explained. I own Wayne Enterprises, the international conglomerate. I’m not just rich, I’m a multibillionaire. You said that no one could protect you, but you’re wrong. Come live with me.” His hands grasped hers. “I won’t let you be afraid anymore.”

His eyes burned with determination. He was serious – and convincing. She wanted nothing more than to say yes, throw her arms around him and embrace the security he offered. But it would get him killed along with her. She knew she had to die, but she couldn’t let Victoria take Bruce too. She hated herself for what she was about to do, but she pulled her hands away. 

“That’s not a good idea. I was clear about this when we agreed to have an arrangement. I’m not girlfriend material. I can’t move in with you.”

“You can’t move in with me,” Bruce repeated, his voice low and dangerous, “or you won’t?”

She knew which option would hurt him the most. “I’m sorry. I won’t.” 

Her voice didn’t crack, even though her heart did.

Bruce’s face hardened. “Liar,” he accused. “I know you’re hiding from someone. You’ve never told me your last name or where you live. Your modeling agency doesn’t have any record of your physical address other than a P.O. Box. Everything on your resume was a lie. You’re on the run and you think you can’t make any personal connections, because you know you’re going to have to run again.”

Bella was numb with shock - she felt like he’d slapped her. 

“Do you know how long it took me to dig up your name?”

His words hit her like ice water. Panic swirled in her stomach. How much did he know? 

“You investigated me?!”

“It was harder than I thought it would be, Isabella Swan.” 

He’d found her real name. All of a sudden, she saw the events of last night in a different light. 

“You knew about Charlie before you asked.”

“And about your breakup with Edward, and the disappearance of your friend. Did Edward do these things?” Bruce asked. “Did he kill Charlie and your friend?”

“He didn’t kill Charlie or anyone else! He didn’t intend for any of this to happen.” 

Bruce’s eyes narrowed as he latched on to the revelation. “That’s an interesting way of putting things.”

The pit of her stomach dropped. She had to stop this. He already knew too much about her and her past. 

“Screw you!! I don’t want to talk about this and I won’t! You had no right to sift through my life without my consent!”

“You’re in trouble and I can help you,” Bruce said. He reached for her, but she jerked away and lept up from her chair, out of his reach. Hurt flashed in his eyes. 

“Bella,” he warned. “Calm down.”

His placid tone enraged her.

“No! I’m leaving, and I won’t be back,” she spat. 

Bella stalked towards the kitchen to get her purse. Before she’d made it two steps Bruce’s arms closed around her from behind and he hauled her back against his chest. 

“Don’t you dare,” he growled in her ear, his voice low and threatening. 

The hair on the back of her arms stood up. She could hear the resolve in his voice and knew he wouldn’t let her go. Desperately she tried to throw herself out of his arms, but his grip was like iron. 

“Let me go!!"

Bruce was unfazed. “Talk to me.”

She tried to elbow him, but his grip was too tight for her to swing her arm. Trying another tactic, she kicked at his shin and managed to graze him with her heel. Bruce grunted in irritation and then she was lifted off her feet. Bella twisted out of his arms for a moment, but he grasped her hips and spun her to face him. Before she knew what he was doing, she was thrown over his shoulder. For his own protection, she had to get out of here, but she just couldn’t fight him. It wasn’t in her to hurt him in any other way than was necessary. Bella let herself fall limp over his shoulder. 

Bruce walked around the fireplace to the bedroom, dropped her on the mattress and pinned her to the bed. His hands formed shackles around her wrists and used his weight to trap her underneath him. With him on top of her, she couldn’t move an inch.

“Bella, don’t do this.”

“Let me go,” she begged. 

It was too hard to fight him, too agonizing to know she was hurting him. 

His face went pale and the skin over his cheekbones stretched tight as he realized she meant what she said. It was easy for her to see the pain under the shock and a lump rose in her throat. An apology was on her lips, but she held it back. Bruce’s expression turned resolute and he leaned down and kissed her forcefully, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as his grip on her wrists turned almost bruising. Bella let him kiss her as she fought the urge to respond and forced herself into impassivity. He broke the kiss when she didn’t reciprocate. Bruce looked frustrated. 

“I’m sorry, Bella. I was worried about you. Forgive me.”

Everything in her ached to do just that but she kept her expression blank. 

Bruce hadn’t expected her reaction. He felt like a monster when he saw the grief in her eyes. Panic burned in his chest alongside fear at the thought of her leaving. He couldn’t let that happen. Now that she was in his life he couldn’t imagine being without her. He needed his mate to anchor him. If she left he would be at the mercy of the dark power he housed, without her to bring him light. She wouldn’t leave, he wouldn’t survive it. 

Bella trembled under Bruce as he stared down at her and waited for her to accept his apology. 

With a noise of frustration his face transformed into a mask of fury. The sight should have scared her, but she saw his fear so clearly that she wanted to cry. For him and for her, and for the horrible situation they were stuck in.

“Damn it, Bella, forgive me!!!” he rasped. 

She pressed her lips together to prevent the words from slipping out. 

He changed tactics. “I need you,” he pleaded. “Don’t leave me. You don’t know how much I feel for you Bella. Do you know what it would do to me if you left? I can’t be alone again.”

Tears burned in her throat and he must have sensed the weakness in her. “Honey, please.”

Bella’s arms went around his neck, unable to hear him beg. His words called to her and she wanted to give in, but reality hadn’t changed. Bruce would have to let her go, or he would die with her when Victoria found her. The idea was reprehensible. He had to live, because the thought of him being murdered because of her- her third victim, in a way- was unbearable. Bruce sank into her, his weight enormous as he crushed her into the bed. 

“Bella,” he whispered against her neck, his voice relieved. Belatedly she realized that he’d taken her embrace as a pardon. 

His hands slid under the skirt of her dress and caught the band of her panties, which he jerked down her legs. Bruce undid his belt and shoved down his pants and boxers in one  
motion. Then he was there, on top of her again, his hardness pressed against her entrance and his hands shackled around her wrists like manacles. He shoved into her roughly, and she gasped at the invasion. Bruce didn’t pause – he thrust into her even harder as her body opened for him. 

Her channel had slickened the moment he’d pinned her to the bed and the moisture allowed him to bury himself inside of her without difficulty. Bruce let out a harsh groan as one more thrust lodged his entire length inside of her. Bella looked up at his face and saw that his head was thrown back, and the cords of his neck stood out in strain. His big body shuddered above her and she couldn’t stop herself from clenching her inner muscles to watch him react. Bruce growled, his eyes slitting open as his hips jerked in response. 

He grabbed the neckline of her dress and ripped. She gasped as it tore and split open to reveal her breasts. His mouth descended on her and he took one aching peak into his mouth and sucked so hard she saw stars. Bella whimpered, and it was as if she’d spurred him. He drove into her, deeper and harder than ever before, making pleasure blend into pain. 

Bella offered herself freely to him as she arched her back and opened her legs wider. He growled and snarled, sensing her submission. She gave herself over to the sensations that swamped her body and tried to forget just for a few minutes that she’d never experience this again. Her orgasm took her by surprise and triggered Bruce’s own release. In the aftermath, they lay tangled together, panting for breath. He still lay on top of her, as though he was afraid if he released her, she would disappear. 

“I’m sorry,” he said gruffly, burying his head in her shoulder. “I didn’t mean to be so rough.”

She didn’t say anything, though she wanted to reassure him what had just transpired between them had been amazing. But maybe some guilt would help drive him away. 

Fear colored Bruce’s voice. “Bella? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Her voice came out wobbly. It wasn’t because of him, but the knowledge that she was going to break his heart. He took it as the former. 

“I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Please, forgive me.”

This time she couldn’t deny him. “I forgive you.”


	13. The Fog

Chapter Thirteen: The Fog

“What love we've given, we'll have forever. What love we fail to give, will be lost for all eternity.”- Leo Buscaglia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bella had lied to him. Given that in all the time they’d known each other she’d never really been honest with him, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. But when he woke to an empty bed he was stunned. On the heels of shock, anguish arrived, and he was unable to escape its grasp. He’d been sure that without her the darkness would come back to torment him, but he was wrong. 

What came was worse.

A gray fog settled over his mind and all he could feel was agony. The pain was as intense as if his heart had been excised from his body. For the next two weeks, he languished in a depression that wouldn’t relent. Alfred and Judah watched him with worry, but neither knew how to help him. Bruce didn’t know how to help himself, so he went to the gym and beat the heavy bag until his knuckles split open. Magic made the self-inflicted wounds heal within minutes, only for him to reopen them. 

Bruce Wayne was a man familiar with pain; he knew misery on an intimate level from when he’d lost his parents to violence so young. Then a few decades later Jason Todd, his best friend and partner, had fallen because of the Joker’s sick actions. In the years he’d been Batman, he’d seen unimaginable pain and suffering, and he bore the scars on his soul. Yet somehow, he now discovered another level of pain that had been unknown to him until Bella. He’d never suspected this kind of heartache existed. How had this happened? How had he lost his mate, his anchor, his other half, in a moment? The answer was simple, and it pierced him like a knife. He had driven her away.

Bruce paused and looked down at his hands. Blood oozed from the broken skin over his knuckles, which were stained black and blue. He flexed his fingers to feel the sting of pain run through his body and reveled in the self-inflicted punishment. Of course Bella had left him. He was pathetic - he had nothing to offer her. 

He knew an impartial observer would disagree with his assessment. After all, he had more money than Hades, he was attractive, and for most women that was enough. All he had to do to keep those women happy was buy diamonds on a regular basis, pay for dinner at fancy restaurants, and show them off. Bella was different. His money meant nothing to her. From the start she’d known he was wealthy and when she’d found out who he was it hadn’t changed anything. The number in his bank account wasn’t a factor in their relationship and without that to tip the balance in his favor, he was floundering. 

He was old enough to be her father. It was a bitter thought, but he had to face it. They were a terrible match. Why would she even consider an extended relationship with him? For sex, maybe. She’d come back for that serval times. Bella’s blank face flashed through his mind, an image from last night. The remote expression she’d worn as he’d pinned her down made his stomach cramp. His gut roiled as his mind replayed how her eyes had filled with tears and bile flooded his mouth. She would never let him touch her again and she shouldn’t. A shudder ran through his body at the memory of the intimate violence he’d inflicted on her. He was a monster and it had nothing to do with being a warlock.

“He’ll keep getting worse without her to anchor him,” Judah said to Alfred. The men stood side by side by the bat computer and watched Bruce as he beat the heavy bag.

Alfred sighed and shook his head. “What can we do? We’ve tried to find her, he’s tried…. it’s like looking for a ghost.”

“I should have suggested they bond sooner. If they were bonded she wouldn’t have been able to run.” 

“Would she have consented to bonding?” Alfred asked. 

Judah scowled. “Probably not. But I’m certain she’s feeling the pull towards him. They’ve spent too much time together for her not to.”

The butler cocked his head, his expression curious. “What do you mean?”

“The bonding begins the moment mates meet and goes both ways. She’s likely in a similar state to him right now. I’m certain she won’t be able to stay away from him. You see how he is? It’s only mental for him. For her, it’s physical. A mate becomes dependent on their warlock’s magic much like an alcoholic becomes dependent on liquor. It’s just a matter of time.”

“Why would she run from him in the first place?” Alfred asked. “He offered her protection! Why hasn’t she come back if its uncomfortable for her to be away?”

“Whatever her motivation, it must be powerful for her to tolerate the discomfort of a separation.”

Across the room, Bruce’s enhanced ears picked up their conversation, and the guilt that simmered inside of him was enflamed. Bella did have a powerful motivation to stay away from him- she was afraid of him. The idea that she was in pain killed him. He deserved this punishing depression, but Bella didn’t. Without her he felt like a shell of a man, as if his heart had walked away with her. To know that she felt the same way made the cavity where his heart had been burn with regret. When he’d been without a mate the rabid violence that had ridden him was nothing compared to the grayness that settled over his soul now. A sour grin twisted his mouth. It was ironic that after he’d survived everything Gotham had thrown at him for twenty years, a woman less than half his size had destroyed him in the space of weeks.

Alfred and Judah left the bat cave at six, though Bruce hardly noticed their absence. 

He’d managed to exhaust himself, which offered some relief from the pain. A long shower washed away the sweat and relaxed his overworked muscles as they throbbed in protest of their harsh treatment. Bruce embraced the discomfort. It invigorated him and reminded him that he was alive, the despite the deadness in his heart. But with his healing ability the pain would fade in less than an hour and he’d have to repeat the process. 

Exhaustion made him fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, but it didn’t last.

Bella’s disappearance had upended every faucet of his life, even his circadian rhythm. He woke covered in goosebumps, shivering with a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature. With effort he dragged himself out of bed and returned to the bat cave. The heavy bag hadn’t given him more than a few hours of sleep and he looked around the room for a new distraction. Bruce turned to the alcove on the far side of the cave and laid his hand on the palm reader. Plated steel retracted to reveal the Batman suit. For a long minute he stood there, looking up into the empty eyes of the mask. He knew he was in no shape to go out. 

Even so, five minutes later Bruce was suited up and in the batmobile, speeding towards Gotham. Familiar scenery flew by as he entered East End. It appeared that little had changed in the two and a half years since he’d last driven this route. Trash was strewn through the gutter and sidewalks, windows were boarded up or covered with bars. He left the police scanner off, not ready to tempt himself with a confrontation. Instead he patrolled the neighborhood just like old times.

It didn’t occur to him what direction he was headed in until he ended up parked in the alley across the street from the bar. He was six blocks out of East End, in a partially gentrified neighborhood, at the same bar he’d picked Bella up from several weeks ago. On the opposite side of the road people streamed in and out of the popular nightspot, comfortable despite the late hour. Melancholy washed over him as he watched from the shadows. A few weeks ago, he’d been in their shoes, with someone, going home…. happy. 

Bella had brought light into his life and without her, he was confined to the shadows again. 

Other than Alfred no one saw the real Bruce Wayne. They saw the mask of Bruce or Batman, whichever side of himself he wanted them to see. For decades he’d lived that way, playing roles in two separate lives. But with Bella he hadn’t been able to put on the mask. He had been himself with Bella – not the playboy, not the billionaire, and not Batman. He wasn’t anything more than a man to her. He’d never had that privilege, Bruce realized. His choices had isolated him. To be Batman he’d made sacrifices and until now, the cost had gone uncounted. He knew that there was a price to do what he did, or rather, what he’d done but he’d never felt it. Loneliness had been his modus operandi for so long that until he’d lost Bella the feeling hadn’t registered. Now it threatened to choke the life out of him. 

Ring!!! Ring!!

The blast from his phone started him as it pierced the silence. 

Bruce picked up the call, “What?”

Judah’s words were clipped. “I need you at the water front. I’m in the alley behind Club X and I’ve found traces of magical resonance that belong to our vampire.”

“Be there in five.”

It only took him four minutes to get Club X. Judah waited for him in the shadows of the alley, dressed in his monks robe, with the hood covering three quarters of his face.

“She was here recently. You have a good chance of tracking her if you go now.”

“Any trace of her companion?”

Judah shook his head. “None. But be cautious.”

Bruce nodded and disintegrated himself into mist. The air currents lifted his form high into the air where he had a bird’s eye view of the street. From this perspective he could see the pattern of where she’d been mapped out in glowing orange zig zag lines. It looked as though she’d cased the clubs in the neighborhood. He zeroed in on the brightest traces at the door to Club X. He solidified himself and strode to the door, which opened on the first tug, despite it being hours past close. 

There was no one in the main room to see him but he stuck to the shadows to avoid the club’s surveillance cameras. He paused to take in his surroundings; glitter covered the dance floor, empty glasses were still on tables waiting to be bussed and glowing traces of magic hung in the air. The trail led him to the back of the club, behind the bar, where it stopped abruptly by the wine rack. From there, nothing. It was as if she’d vanished into thin air. Bruce reached out and touched the gossamer orange light and felt the same resonance that had been at the Stagg Industries crime scene. She had been here – of that he was certain, but where she’d gone after was a mystery. 

His gut said that she was on the hunt. But of whom? This club was empty, and he suspected it had been when she was here too. Bruce scowled. There was nothing to go on, just wisps of disappearing magic that didn’t offer any answers. Judah was right, he had a city to protect. There was a monster in Gotham and he was the only one who could stop her. It didn’t matter that his own life was in shambles – he had to destroy the redhead before she killed again. Her days of treating his city like a butcher shop were over.

She had to have left somehow. Bruce searched the club and looked for anything out of place, for traces of her signature and came up empty. He doubled back to the alley and at the loading dock he came across the faint resonance of orange magic. It was so faded it was hard to make out in the darkness but when he touched the light, its magic was strong. This was the most recent trace of her. Bruce felt the heat from her resonance in his hands and knew that it was fresh. To his frustration there was no trail other than the particles he’d found. Another dead end. 

He turned back towards the mouth of the alley, ready to go home and regroup, when the sound of voices froze him. Bruce shrank back into the shadows and listened.

A man’s voice spoke. “A hundred?”

“Two hundred if you want kissing,” a woman responded.

Bruce stiffened as he realized what this was. A negotiation. There was just enough light peaking over the top of the building that he could see the outline of a stooped over older man. Illuminated by a patch of early morning sunlight in front of him stood a young girl, not more than eighteen or nineteen. Her hair was dyed blue and she wore a cut off denim skirt over fishnets. 

“Are you sure?” the man asked while he reached for his wallet. 

The girl rolled her eyes and motioned for the money. “Yeah, get on with it, you want this or not?”

He couldn’t slip past them undetected. The only escape was up. Above him there was a rusty fire escape and he managed to climb it without a sound. When he reached the fifth level of the rickety structure he leapt to the adjacent rooftop and crossed it on silent feet, back to where he’d left Judah with the batmobile. But his mind was still on the couple in the alley.

Was he so unlike the old man? 

They said money couldn’t buy love, but it improved your bargaining position. Consciously and unconsciously he’d relied on his wealth throughout his romantic life. Deep down he had been hoping to win Bella back with his money. Sure, it would come as protection for her, but it was a dressed-up facade. He was like a little boy who offered his toys to the girl he liked because they were the only thing he had worth wanting. Take away the fancy cars, beautiful homes, yachts and companies…. all he was without them was a broken man. A dangerous man who could hurt her without meaning to. But still, Bella needed him. She needed protection, but he was the last person she’d come to for help after what he’d done. If she was a tenth as parasitic as the girl in the alley, this would be so much simpler. He could give her anything her heart desired – but he knew she couldn’t be bought. And that left him out of options.

Maybe it was better this way, Bruce told himself. Could he be her protector? He knew who he was, his history, even before he’d had powers. Batman wasn’t a guardian – he never had been. And though his identity was secret, no secret could be held forever. He didn’t have to look any further than the charred costume of Jason Todd for a reminder that people close to him were at risk because of his vigilantism. One day, Bella might pay the ultimate price for the sin of being loved by him. Whatever danger stalked her, was it more dangerous than the life he could offer her? Perhaps this was meant to be. Without him to hold her back she could run somewhere she’d be safe. 

His reasons were sound, but they didn’t matter to his heart. The empty cavity burned with sorrow. While he could tell himself that she was safer without him, he couldn’t make himself believe it. A constant litany of anxious thoughts ran through the back of his mind. Was her stalker getting closer? Was she being watched? Was she scared? In pain? Had she eaten today? It was an inescapable buzz that ran through his head. It didn’t matter if they should be together or not – he and Bella were mates. They were bound together and somehow, someway, they would find each other again. 

When they did all he could do was try to be the man she deserved and hope it was enough.


	14. Stacking the Deck

Chapter Fourteen: Stacking the Deck

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” - Ernest Hemingway

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce looked for Bella on Friday. He reviewed all the information he’d collected, checked her bank accounts, her credit cards and the modeling agency, but there was no activity. I should have planted a tracking device in her phone, Bruce thought for the millionth time. 

Fatigue crept up on him and he turned in early. He hoped for a few solid hours, but knew it was improbable. He was too disturbed to focus on anything, even sleep for long. Bella invaded his every waking thought and followed him into sleep as well. For hours he tossed and turned but at some point, he must have fallen asleep because the ringing of his cell phone woke him. The clock read two thirty as he fumbled on the nightstand for the device and picked up the call. 

“Hello?”

“Bruce?” 

The one word made his entire body tighten. Bella. Her voice wavered, strung taunt with fear that was discernible just by the one syllable of his name. Bruce bolted upright, wide awake. 

“Bella, are you okay?” Bruce asked. When she didn’t immediately answer, his chest constricted as the bands of fear wrapped around his lungs. “Tell me where you are.” 

He threw off the covers and climbed out of bed. Without taking away the phone from his ear he pulled a shirt over his head and grabbed a pair of jeans from the floor. 

“Zac Posen after party,” she slurred, sounding drunk.

Bruce coaxed the address out of her and picked up the Bugatti keys on the way out the door. 

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

There was fear in her voice when she spoke again. “Stay on the line.” 

He heard her take in a shaky breath and then she whispered, “I can’t think.”

His heart speed up at her words. That didn’t sound like being drunk. On the highway, he broke a dozen laws to make it to the city in record time. Bella had gone quiet on the other end of the line.

“Are you still there, honey?”

“The room is spinning,” Bella replied hoarsely, her voice weak.

“What did you drink?”

“I had a glass of wine, but I think someone spiked it.” 

His temper boiled as his suspicions were confirmed. She’d been drugged. No one could get this drunk off one glass of wine. 

“Are you still inside?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“Move to the front of the club, don’t sit down. Try to stay on your feet if you can.”

On the other end of the line there was the rustle of movement as she followed his instructions. “Okay,” she said after a moment. Her voice was softer now, not more than a murmur and he knew the drug was about to take full effect.

“I’m almost there,” he promised as he fishtailed around a curve. “Hold on, you’re going to be alright, honey.”

Bella didn’t speak again, despite his efforts to draw her into conversation. The only indication their connection was still good was the thumping of dance music in the background. As he made the final turn he recognized her location. It was Club X, where he’d been at less than twenty-four hours earlier, hunting the redhead. Fear lodged in his throat as he realized she’d stumbled into the middle of a vampire’s territory. He pulled the Bugatti into the alley beside the club, the nearest parking at this time of night. Bruce stalked past the line of people waiting for entry and the bouncer took one look at his face and lifted the velvet rope. A chorus of objections was raised behind him.

He saw Bella as soon as he crossed the threshold. She stood by a high table, one hand braced on it to steady herself. One look was all he needed to tell that she’d been drugged. As he drew nearer he saw that her eyes were glassy and unfocused.

“Bella?” he asked, reaching for her.

She looked at him blankly for a long minute, no trace of recognition on her face. He could tell she was completely out of sync with reality as he wrapped his arm around her, taking most of her weight as he guided her towards the door.

“Bruce?” she slurred, his name a question.

“It’s me. I’m right here.” 

“You came.” 

“Of course I did, honey.”

At his words, she leaned into his chest and went almost limp. The bouncers didn’t spare them a glance as they passed, despite the fact that he nearly carried an intoxicated woman. He was revolted by their carelessness, and couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if Bella hadn’t called him. A chill ran down his spine at the vivid images his mind supplied. Bruce unlocked the Bugatti and looked down at Bella in concern. She hadn’t spoken, and her listlessness suggested she was on the verge of collapse. 

“Well, well, well….” A voice from the shadows startled him, its sanguine tone tinged with malevolence. 

He hadn’t been paying attention to his surroundings and the figure that stepped out of the darkness into the dim light startled him. The vibrant red hair was unmistakable. 

“Found yourself a little protector, did you?” the vampire smiled, and her teeth gleamed with venom.

Her words made no sense to him for one long moment. Then he realized they weren’t addressed to him. The vampire’s crimson eyes were locked on Bella, her enmity focused on a target other than himself. At the sound of the woman’s voice she roused and lifted her head from his shoulder to squint at the redhead.

“You drugged me, didn’t you?” she accused, her voice stronger than before.

“I decided to stack the deck in my favor this time, sweetie. You’re a wily little one.” 

Comprehension dawned. She hadn’t been on the run from a boyfriend or a stalker. She’d been running from a vampire.

As the pieces fell into place, Bella pushed free of his arms with strength that surprised him, and Bruce was knocked off balance. The vampire lunged for Bella’s throat so fast she blurred in his vison and in the second that it took him to find his feet, her teeth sank into Bella’s neck. 

“No!” Bruce roared. Magic exploded from his hands, the green flames leapt to life in his fingers as he drew back his arm. He threw a streak of light at the vampire and struck the crown of her head. With a hiss, she sprang away from Bella. His mate fell, lifeless, to the pavement. The redhead dropped into a panther like crouch and snarled. 

“Hurts like a bitch doesn’t it?” he prodded her.

Her eyes flashed with anger, and he took advantage of her distraction to throw another bolt. This one hit her in the chest and he saw her alabaster skin crack like porcelain as fine lines fanned out from the area of impact. Her pained gasp satisfied him, and he felt the darkness inside of him burst to life. He wanted to destroy this woman with a fervor he’d never experienced before. A light breeze teased the back of his neck and wafted through the alley, carrying his scent to the vampire. Recognition flashed in her eyes.

“You,” she growled. 

His identity had been revealed- she knew he was the Batman. 

Bruce smiled. “You won’t live long enough to tell anyone.”

“Does she know?” the vampire asked. Then she laughed, the sound disconcertingly musical coming from a monster. “It doesn’t matter. She won’t live long enough to find out.”

Her eyes flicked to a point behind him and victory lit her face. Bruce whirled and saw Bella, crumpled to the ground, writhing in pain as the throes of conversion began.

Bella cried out and arched her back, her mouth open as if to scream, but no sound emerged. Bruce sank to his knees beside her. Horror washed over him as he realized that venom was spreading through her body with each pump of her heart. He covered the wound on her neck with his hand and watched the magic turned from green to white. It was difficult to control the powerful magic as he channeled it into Bella’s wound but he managed to perform the entire ritual. At the site of the bite, blood and venom had mixed too much for the spell to work. Bruce braced himself and then bent his head down to fasten his lips over the laceration. The strong metallic smell almost made him gag. He sucked hard, tasting the copper like flavor of her blood. Bruce spat out the blood on the pavement, his stomach close to rebellion, but he forced down the nausea. He performed the incantation again and found no venom in her system. 

Bruce picked up Bella’s unconscious form and placed her in the passenger seat of the Bugatti. While he’d treated her bite, the vampire had fled, but Bruce couldn’t summon the energy to care. The still form beside him consumed his thoughts. The spell he’d used to clean her blood was meant to be used on magical beings, not humans. Putting the pedal to the floor, Bruce sped towards Judah’s cottage.

On the way across town he dialed Judah on the Bluetooth and filled him in on the events of the past hour. Judah was waiting at the cottage door when Bruce arrived. He directed Bruce to lay her on the bed and checked her over with care and removed the bloodstains from her neck with a damp cotton pad. After what seemed like ages he said, “she’s fine.”

“Are you sure? You didn’t do any spells,” Bruce said.

Judah looked up from where he sat on Bella’s bedside, his face exasperated. 

“Do doctors use spells? Surgeons? Bruce, she’s battered, but fine. The venom is out of her system, this is simply the drug taking effect. I’m not sure of the side effects of whatever she was dosed with, but her vitals are stable, her respirations are normal and there are no other indications she’s in distress. Take her home, make sure she gets plenty of sleep and expect her to feel like hell when she wakes up.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Bella woke the first thing that went through her mind was that she felt disgusting. A sticky sheen of sweat coated her body and if felt like she was covered in grime. She struggled to sit up and found her arms were too weak to push herself up. There was a terrible throbbing in her head and her eyes burned when she opened them, forcing her to blink several times before she could see.

“How do you feel?”

The deep voice startled her. Bella squinted into the shadows by the fireplace and saw Bruce. He sat in an armchair, cloaked in darkness. 

Bella swallowed nervously. “I-,” 

Her voice cracked, and she coughed. Once she started, she couldn’t stop. Bruce appeared at her side and handed her a glass of water. The water helped stop the fit and she drained half the glass, surprised at how thirsty she’d been. 

“Thank you,” she said. 

Bruce placed the glass on the nightstand and sat down heavily on the edge of the bed. 

“We need to talk,” he said, his mouth compressed into a straight line. His eyes were like flint as they bore into hers. “How do you know the redhead?”

Words escaped her. Bruce took her silence as a sign of deception. “Don’t even think about lying to me again,” he rumbled.

“I can’t!! You can’t be involved in this, Victoria is dangerous, and I won’t be responsible for your death too!!”

Her fear made the anger drain out of him. “I’m not in danger from her. I was already hunting her.” 

Bella gaped at him. “What?”

“Someone had to stop her.”

“Whatever you’re planning on doing, don’t! Victoria is lethal.”

“What do you think I am?” Bruce asked.

She’d been so focused on dissuading him from his plans she hadn’t thought about it.

“You didn’t see me fight Victoria last night, did you?”

His words pulled the memory of the alley to the surface of her mind and her hand flew to her throat. She’d been bitten. The pain of venom flashed through her mind, her only clear recollection of what had happened. But when she touched her throat, there was nothing. 

“What happened?” 

Bruce caught her hand from her throat and looked at her for a moment. “Why don’t we get you cleaned up before we have this conversation?” 

She wanted to talk more, but a shower sounded like heaven. Bruce didn’t give her a chance to agree or disagree, instead he took her in his arms and headed towards the stairs. 

“I can walk,” Bella protested. 

He snorted. “No, you can’t. You can barely sit up.” 

Bruce sat her on the shower bench and turned on the spray to check the temperature. Bella leaned against the tile wall and watched him through half lidded eyes as she struggled to stay awake. He was still dressed in and she waited for him to step out and strip, but instead he shrugged, and his clothes dissolved. Her eyes flew open and her weariness vanished. What she’d seen was impossible. One moment he’d been fully dressed in a black suit, a shirt and tie, belt and dress shoes and then, with a shrug, his clothing dissolved. Bruce turned to her, his expression cautious.

“I guess it’s easier to show than tell.”

Bella wasn’t sure what he meant but the uneasy look on his eyes when he extended her his hand spoke for itself. He expected her to be afraid of him. After dating a vampire this was an easy test to pass. Bella grasped his hand and stood. As soon as she was on her feet, her knees went weak and a wave of dizziness came over her. Bruce caught her just before she collapsed. 

She groaned and leaned against him. “Vampire venom and GHB aren’t a fun cocktail.” 

Bruce’s lips pressed to the crown of her head. “You’ll be fine, I promise. I had you checked over last night and I destroyed the venom in your blood. The drug metabolized overnight.” 

“I can’t believe she roofied me,” Bella sighed.

Bruce held her for a long time before he began to wash her, starting with her hair and working his way down her body. She relaxed and let him work as she enjoyed the gentle caress of his hands. When he started to massage the knots out of her shoulders, she moaned. The powerful knead of his fingers on the sore muscles was as close to heaven on earth as she’d ever come. Too soon it was over, and he toweled her off. From the closet, he produced a button up shirt and a pair of his boxers for her to wear.

Bella made it up the stairs to the kitchen on her own power, despite Bruce’s disapproval. He insisted she eat something and she managed half of a pancake, while he put away six. After the table was cleared, a serious mood settled over them. 

“I want to know everything, from the beginning.” 

It was time to come clean and she knew it. 

“I met Edward Cullen my junior year of high school,” Bella said. She explained why she moved to Forks after Renee had married Phil, how she’d moved in with Charlie and when she’d met Edward. Then she explained how she’d figured out his family’s secret. 

“Forks is constantly covered in rain, so it was the perfect place for a coven of vampires. No one noticed them because they chose to prey on animals, not people.”   
Once she’d started talking it was hard to stop; she told him about how she’d been Edward’s singer, her friendship with Alice and the day she’d first encountered James and Victoria. 

“What happened with Edward?” Bruce asked when she finished telling him how she’d woken up in the hospital. 

Despite the years, pain ignited in her chest when she thought of the day Edward had walked out of her life.

“I got a paper cut,” she said with a grim smile. “I was unwrapping a present for my eighteenth birthday and his brother Jasper tried to attack me. Edward pushed me out of the way and I fell into the piano, knocking over the picture frames and the glass cut my arm. That made it even worse.”

She recounted how Jasper had been restrained and Carlisle had stitched her up, but the damage was done. Intuition had told her he planned to leave, but she hadn’t known he planned to leave without her. 

“He said he didn’t want me anymore. Then he left, and I’ve never seen him since.” 

Bruce heard the pain woven into the words despite her attempted stoicism. Reaching out he laid his hand over hers, lacing their fingers together. “I’m sorry.”

A lump rose in her throat, but she pushed it down. 

“When did Victoria begin hunting you?”

Bella shrugged. “I didn’t realize she was hunting me for a while. I was hiking when I ran into Laurent, the other vampire in her coven. He warned me she was looking for me. A mate for a mate, as he put it. James was dead and the only thing that would make her happy was if Edward experienced the same pain. That’s when I found out about werewolves.” 

“A second supernatural creature in your life,” Bruce groused.

“One of them was Jacob Black, my friend.” Bella told him how the pack had protected her against Victoria’s relentless pursuit. “Then Charlie was murdered. And Renee wanted me to move back in with her. It devastated her that I wanted to stay in Forks, but I couldn’t put her at risk. After a lot of persuading she let me have my way. I stayed with Jake and Billy, his father.” 

“Why did you leave the pack? You were safe there.” 

“The news said the Jake disappeared,” she said softly, looking down at the table where their hands rested intertwined. “But that wasn’t true. Victoria killed him. She knew it would hurt me and after that I couldn’t look Billy or any of the wolves in the eye. I ran.” 

She recounted her journey when he pushed for details, telling him how she’d fled to California and eventually, bought a ticket to New York in Salt Lake. New York had proved a good hiding place, but she’d been too used to running to stay there for long. After traveling down the coast, she’d settled in Gotham and enrolled in college because it was what Charlie would have wanted.

“Then Victoria arrived about a month ago. I knew my number was up.”

Bruce’s eyes hardened. “Yet you didn’t take me up on my offer to protect you.” 

“I’d already lost my father and my best friend,” she defended. “How could I put another person I cared about at risk? Victoria is immortal. She doesn’t get tired and she doesn’t lose interest. I was exhausted and I didn’t see the point in fighting it any more. I faced up to the facts – I was a walking dead woman and I couldn’t let someone else get caught in the cross fire. I wanted you to be safe. I tried to make myself available to her, thinking she’d come for me quickly but she didn’t make a move. Then when I was drugged at the party I called you without thinking.”

“Good. Now explain what you meant by making yourself available to Victoria.”

“I walked around at night. She saw me, I’m sure of it, but it was like she wanted to draw out the chase. I think drugging me was for her own amusement more than anything.”

“You walked around, in Gotham, at night?” Bruce repeated, his voice tight.

“It’s when vampires hunt.”

“And a lot of other things too,” Bruce snapped. “Do you have any idea what crime is like in this town at night? There are human traffickers, gangs, drug dealers, pimps…..” he broke off, shaking his head. 

“Nothing happened,” she said.

He raised his eyes to the ceiling. “That’s almost a statistical impossibility in Gotham.” Bruce’s eyes glittered with anger when they turned back to her. “We need to establish some rules. You aren’t allowed to put yourself in danger. It’s not going to happen.” 

Bella stiffened at his tone. “So, what, I have to ask your permission before I do anything?”

“That’s not what I said. I said you’ll exercise some caution in the future! You have no idea what could have happened to you out there!”

Bella raised her hands in surrender. “Fine!”

He had a valid point, though she stood by her actions. She’d made the best decisions she could with the information she’d had at the time. “You haven’t told me what you are.”

Bruce’s expression went blank. “I’m a warlock.” 

She absorbed his revelation, then nodded. “Alright.”

“I expected you to faint.”

“I dated a vampire. My best friend was a werewolf and I’ve been on the run from a crazed vampire for the past five years. I can handle you being a warlock.”

“When you put it like that, it doesn’t sound so astonishing.” Bruce grimaced. “It’s the next part I’m worried about.”

“What else is there?” Bella asked.

The slight twitch of his hand in hers was the only indication of his nervousness. “I wasn’t born a warlock. I received my powers from the Enchantress when she died. I was there when she committed suicide and her powers were released. They had to go somewhere, and they went into me. I became the same thing she was.”

His bleak expression was too much. Bella reached for him, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders and moving to his lap. She curled as close to him as she could get and took his face in her hands. “She was a terrorist. I know you, Bruce, you’re not like her.”

“I went numb after I absorbed her powers. My color vision was gone and then my emotions were too. Then a few days later I started feeling this uncontrollable fury that wouldn’t let go. It colored everything I thought and did. I wasn’t safe to be around and there was nothing I could do about it.” 

“But you didn’t give in,” she pointed out. “And you’re not out of control now.”

“That’s because of you. When I saw you back in June it was the first time I’d seen color in two years. At first all I could see was the blue of your dress. Then we kissed, and the rest of my vision was in color.”

“What about your emotions?” 

“They came back too. You intoxicated me. I couldn’t take my eyes off you. I didn’t understand why until later. It wasn’t random, Bella. You brought it on.”

“What? Why?”

“You’re my mate.”

She stared at him. “I don’t understand.”

“A warlock can’t exist alone. Our magic is too powerful for one person to hold alone. Left on our own we’re destructive and violent, completely at the mercy of our power. We have mates to anchor us against the magic. You stop me from being drawn into that power and turning evil.” 

“Oh,” Bella said softly.

“I know it’s a lot.” Bruce hugged her to him. She had taken it well, but there had to be a limit to what she could handle. 

“What does being your anchor entail? Am I supposed to do anything?”

“Just be with me. When you left it felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest.”

“I’m sorry. I wanted to protect you.”

“I can protect myself and as your mate, it’s my job to protect you. Don’t run from me again.” 

“I love you,” Bella confessed. “I thought I could never love anyone again, but you made me fall in love with you.”

“Thank goodness for that.”

“What aren’t you telling me?” 

Bruce hesitated. “Warlocks bond with their mates.” 

“Bond?” Bella pressed when he didn’t elaborate.

“It’s a process that gives you access to my powers and opens a telepathic link between us.”

“What do you mean by access to your powers?”

“You’d be able to use my magic as if it was your own.”

“How?”

“There’s an incantation done while we’re intimate that seals the bond between us. You have to open the telepathic link, which allows me to complete the process. It won’t work unless you open the bond.” 

“Okay,” she agreed.

“Okay?” Bruce repeated, stunned. “Just like that?” 

“Yes.”

“Bella, this is permanent, like marriage. Once the bond is there, it’s there for life. There’s no divorce, no annulment. We’re together.”

She frowned up at him. “Are you not sure you want to bond?”

“It isn’t me I’m thinking of. Maybe you should think about this a bit more, Bella. Know what you’re getting yourself into.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I love you. That’s what I’m getting into.”

Bruce was silent. “Are you sure you want me?”

Comprehension dawned on Bella. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“I do believe you,” Bruce said. “Right now, you love me, but there are facts. We have a seventeen-year age difference. I’d get more benefit out of bonding than you would. I’ll experience a surge of power once we’re connected and my magic will become more potent. I’ll have a doorway to your mind, the comfort of knowing that you have magic to protect yourself.”

“And I get you,” Bella said.

“Yes.” 

Bella shifted around so she straddled him and laid her hands on his shoulders to look down into his troubled eyes. “Do you love me?” she asked seriously.

“More than anything.”

“I feel the same way. I want to tie myself to you in every way possible and never let go. After what I’ve been through it feels unreal to love. I thought that part of me was destroyed.” 

“What about Edward?”

“The Bella Swan that loved him is dead.”


	15. Together Forever

Chapter Fifteen: Together Forever

“My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me.” -Winston Churchill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bella wanted to be with him.

It felt unreal to think the words and know they were true. He’d been sure that he’d ruined their relationship. Yet, despite his actions, she loved him. How that was possible he wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Bella had restored his humanity, given him back his life. He wasn’t a monster filled with uncontrollable rage anymore, not when she was with him.

The intensity of his feelings for her took his breath away. At first, he’d written off the power of their connection as a consequence of going two years without emotions. But his feelings hadn’t lessened. If anything, they’d deepened. To say he loved her was an understatement – he was infatuated, devoted and enchanted by her. Passion, tenderness, and lust fused as one inside of him. When she did something as simple as kiss his cheek, butterflies took flight in his stomach. All the romantic feelings he’d escaped for forty years were now made up for lost time. 

Secretly, he hoped their bonding would ease things. Would having direct access to her mind settle him? He’d come to hate being out of contact with her. With Victoria and her partner in the city doing God knew what, his worries were acute. If Bella had magic she wouldn’t be helpless against her enemies.

“When did you want to bond?” Bella asked.

“I don’t know. I hadn’t expected you to agree so soon. Bonding will be an adjustment for both of us and with Victoria in Gotham, I don’t want to do it here. For a while my magic will be unstable from the initial surge of power and I won’t be able to protect us here.” 

“Will I need my passport?”

“Yes. And hopefully you’ll be able to use your real one,” Bruce said.

Her smile faded. “I don’t know.”

“Bella, you don’t have to hide anymore.”

“But if I use my passport, the government will know. The Washington State Police are still investigating my missing persons case. They’d have questions. Questions that I can’t answer.” 

“Alright,” he conceded. 

It bothered him that she was living under an alias and that it wouldn’t be her real name on their marriage certificate. The matter stayed in his mind all day. Various solutions played through his head, but he shared none of them with Bella. It wouldn’t be fair to get her hopes up before he’d worked out a plan.

The next morning, he woke early and left Bella a note that he’d gone to pick up her things. He’d pried her address out of her the night before and stolen the keys from her purse this morning.

Now, he stood in front of her shabby apartment building, which was located right next to the most dangerous real estate in Gotham - Crime Alley. Tagging from the Hanoi Ten gang on the side of a nearby building made his mouth go dry. Never mind Victoria. How had she survived this neighborhood? Bruce shook off his dark thoughts. It was irrelevant - she had survived, and she would never come back here again.

In her apartment, he was pleased to see that she’d reinforced the door with a deadbolt and chain. It wasn’t much but it was good to know she had some instinct of self-preservation. Bruce packed her things with magic and sent them to the bat cave with a snap of his fingers. The only furniture in the apartment was a bed, which he left. He placed her keys on the counter for the superintendent and locked the door behind him on his way out.

Back on the street he found his car still in one piece where he’d parked, its tires and windows intact by divine miracle. Bruce sped out of East End as fast as he could. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As he walked into the kitchen, Bruce saw the Alfred and Bella had gotten acquainted. The butler sat across the table from her at the dining room table, emptied breakfast plates in front of them. 

“Bruce was quite the wild child, you know,” Alfred said.

“I was a saint,” Bruce countered, striding to the table and dropping into the seat beside Bella. 

Alfred snorted. “Sure you were. I’m just making sure your girlfriend knows what she’s getting herself into.” 

“Fiancée,” Bruce corrected.

The butler raised an eyebrow. “She left that part out.”

Bella flushed. “Um, I didn’t….”

“It was very sudden,” Bruce interjected. “But I picked this up on the way home.” 

He pulled out the with drawl envelope from Gotham First National, a pitstop he’d made on the way home, and removed a small velvet box. “I don’t have my mother’s engagement ring. It was stolen in the mugging. But I do have my grandmother’s ring.” 

Bruce flipped open the box to reveal an emerald cut diamond ring seated in a white gold band which he offered to Bella. 

She looked shocked but held out her hand. “Of course.”

He slipped the ring on her finger and did a spell to adjust the size to her hand. The anxiety that roared inside of him calmed when the ring was settled on the third finger of her left hand. 

She was his. 

“So, when are we thinking for the wedding?” Alfred asked.

“Not yet. We’re going to bond first. With Victoria and her partner still around, I don’t want to be taken off guard, so we’re going out of the country.” 

“Good idea. I’ll have the jet readied for this afternoon.” 

Bruce nodded. “Perfect. Thank you.”

The butler disappeared to make the call, leaving the couple alone. 

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Bella asked.

“How about I make it a surprise?”

She considered that. “As long as it isn’t cold or wet.”

“I had sun and sand in mind. Also, I cleaned out your apartment – your things are in the basement.”

“How? You didn’t bring in any boxes-” she stopped herself. “Right. Magic. That’s going to take some getting used to.”

“I want to show you the basement,” Bruce said, changing the subject. 

“I’ve already been downstairs.”

“There are three other levels to the house.” 

Bella looked bewildered. “Why?”

“I’ll show you.” 

Bruce took her by the hand and led her downstairs to the bookcase. He pressed the spine of one of the books and the shelves slid to the side to reveal the hidden elevator to the bat cave. Tugging Bella along he pressed the down button. When the doors opened, she gasped.

“You have a secret room?” Her eyes went straight to the bat computer in the middle of the room. Bella stepped off the lift and walked towards it, ignoring everything else in the cave. “What type of computer is this?”

He named a model of super computer that retailed for more than thirty million and watched in amusement as she sat down in his chair and ran her hands over the keyboard like a violinist appreciating a Stradivarius. 

“Why do you have this down here?” she asked Bruce, who’d come to stand at her elbow.

She still hadn’t looked at anything except the computer. Grasping the armrests of the chair she sat in he spun her a hundred and eighty degrees, so she faced the alcove where he kept the bat suit. From inside it, the Batman suit glowered ominously down at her.

“Oh.”

“That’s it?” he probed when she fell silent.

“It kind of makes sense. Who else has the resources and expertise to put together all of Batman’s gadgets and machinery? You have the spare time, since you’re your own boss. 

And of course, no one would ever suspect you. You’re like the male Paris Hilton of Gotham.”

“Excuse me?” 

“What?”

“Paris Hilton?”

Hearing his affront, Bella looked up at him, her expression guilty. “I Googled you.”

His gut tightened into knots at her words. “I hope you don’t believe everything you read.”

“Relax, I already agreed to marry you. Thanks for the heads up on that by the way.”

For a moment, he was confused. “What?”

“I agreed to bonding, not marriage.” 

“Bella, once the mental link is established we’ll be closer than any human couple. Why not complete the formality?” 

“It’s just a piece of paper.”

“Seriously?” Bruce questioned her. He leaned down, boxing her in by placing his hands on the armrests of her chair. His eyes glittered with menace as he waited for her response.

Bella wasn’t cowed. “It’s not necessary. You know, two out of three marriages end in divorce. Look at Renee and Charlie, they split up before I was a year old! The whole institution of marriage is pointless.”

“Pointless,” Bruce repeated.

“Yes.”

“No, it isn’t.”

Bella’s expression turned rebellious. “I strongly disagree.”

“You agreed earlier.” 

“Alfred was there, I couldn’t say no.”

“We are getting married,” Bruce ground out. “And it isn’t just a piece of paper. It proves that you’re mine and vice versa. There’s no risk of divorce when you marry a warlock, sweetheart. We can’t be apart after we bond. Without you I would die, physically die, because our souls are going to merge. With all that, how can you not marry me?”

“I can see you’re very committed to the idea,” Bella said, adopting reasonable tone that grated on his nerves. “I know that the bonding is forever, and I’ve agreed to that, but getting married is different. I’ve never been comfortable with it.” 

“Why?”

“I’ve seen how marriage can destroy someone. Charlie never got over it.”

“Trust me Bella. We won’t be like your parents. We’re mates, sweetheart, we’re meant to be together. We won’t destroy each other.” 

“I do trust you,” Bella insisted. 

“Enough to marry me?”

She shut her eyes and threw her head back staring up at the ceiling with her brow furrowed. “Fine. But one condition.”

“Anything.”

“No big ceremony, reception, or crazy dress.”

“Done. It means I can get you to the alter even faster.”

Bella squinted at him. “I’ve never seen a man so eager to go legal with a woman. Am I pregnant?”

“Not yet, but if you want to be, let me know.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At four in the afternoon they boarded Bruce’s private jet. Bella unpacked her laptop and curled up in the window seat to work on the remaining assignments for her clients, so they’d have the rest of the week to themselves. Bruce moved to the back of the plane and picked up the inflight newspaper, that morning’s copy of the Gotham Gazette. The headline was of the Secretary of State’s address to the UN on the Syrian civil war, which he skimmed. Bruce flipped the page to the crime section and the bold print words across the top of the page made his blood run cold. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gotham Vampire Strikes Again

Gotham, NJ – Preliminary evidence suggests that the slaying of a Gotham University student last night is the work of the serial killer known as the Gotham Vampire. The body of a female was discovered this morning in Robinson Park by a jogger. 

Police chief Bock made the announcement at a news conference with Mayor Ryan Abernathy and FBI Special Agent Len Novak. The identity of the student has not been released to the media, as her family was being informed concurrently. Cause of death was exsanguination which is consistent with the Vampire’s signature. The student had not been reported missing and was seen yesterday by a friend. 

Authorities have linked the killer to twenty-two unsolved murders in the Gotham metro area. Since the first victim was discovered on May eighth, the Gotham Vampire has been wildly active. His most violent streak was four victims being found during the week of June 5th, all of them drained of blood. Bite marks covered the victims who were both male and female and varied along age, race and socioeconomic status. 

A task force of Gotham police, New Jersey State police and federal officials have been investigating the killings since mid-May. Chief Bock and Special Agent Novak reassured the public that police were using every possible resource to find the killer.

“All of our attention is on this case,” Bock said. “We are working around the clock to bring the perpetrator or perpetrators of these crimes to justice.” 

Given the incredible rate at which the murders have been occurring, authorities are theorizing that the Gotham Vampire is actually multiple offenders acting together. 

On Sunday, July 25th, hundreds of people rallied in Trenton on the steps of the state Capitol with the victims’ families and friends. People expressed discontent at the slow progress in the case and with the overall low rate of Gotham Police in closing cases, despite rising crime statistics. Neither the D.A.’s office or the Police responded to requests for comment on the complaints. 

Gotham Mayor Ryan Abernathy said that police needed the cooperation of residents to catch the killer and urged calm during this wave of violence. “We don’t need to rush into a panic,” Abernathy said. 

But with twenty-two victims in thirteen weeks, Gotham is unlikely to be calm for very long if the Vampire sticks to his pattern.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce tucked the crime section back into the middle of the paper tossed it back in the tray, under the Wall Street Journal where Bella wouldn’t catch sight of it by accident. When she was done with her work he’d tell her himself. An hour later she closed the computer and dropped onto the couch beside him.

“Done,” she sighed. 

“Good.” Bruce wrapped an arm around her waist. “But we have a minor problem.”

He took the paper out from the bottom of the pile and opened it to the crime section. “Victoria killed again.” 

Bella’s face leeched of all color as she reached out with trembling hands to take the paper. Her eyes skimmed the article, growing wider with each word she read. When she was done, she dropped the paper to the floor and put her head in her hands. Bruce felt a shudder run through her body and he pulled her closer.

“Don’t cry,” he said softly. “It’s okay.”

“No, it isn’t! And I’m not crying! I’m angry!”

She turned to him, tears swimming in her eyes even as they flashed with rage. 

“Baby, none of this is your fault.” 

“If I didn’t exist she wouldn’t be in Gotham!”

“Don’t think like that. You’re not responsible for anything she does. Victoria fixated on you through no fault of your own. Do you think if she wasn’t stalking you she wouldn’t be killing?”

“No, of course not. But when I left Forks I knew what I was doing. I was trading the lives of people I didn’t know to save the people I did.”

“That’s understandable.”

“It isn’t right. I brought her here and now people are dead, and I just want it to stop. I feel guilty, I know it isn’t my fault, but I can’t change how it makes me feel.”

“I know.” Bruce soothed her. “I’m going to stop Victoria.”

Bella’s arms tightened around him. “Good.”

“It’ll be okay,” he whispered in her ear. 

He rocked her back and forth in his arms, calming her as best he could. After being drugged and bitten by a vampire, learning he was a warlock and Batman and getting engaged to him, he wouldn’t have blamed her for breaking down. But after a few minutes, she wiped her eyes and straightened her spine.

“Thanks. I think I forgot some stuff I had to get done,” she said and headed back to her laptop. Bruce watched her, unsure how to comfort her. He chose to let her lose herself in work since that was her preference, but moved to the seat beside her. After a while she seemed to droop, and he nudged her.

“Why don’t you shut it down for the night and get some sleep?”

Bella dozed, half asleep in his arms, but Bruce remained wide awake. Their bonding was drawing closer and he could help but worry. Bella was getting a raw deal. She didn’t seem to realize what she was getting herself into and he couldn’t bring himself to warn her. From the bonding he would get an anchor, a mate, a woman that loved him, and unlock the full extent of his ability. She would get an overbearing warlock that couldn’t live without her. A man always on the verge of giving into his dark power if she wasn’t there to save him from himself.

He loved her to the point of insanity. The strength of his emotions scared him, particularly when he knew that soon she’d be able to see inside his mind, into the man he was underneath the layers. But he was also excited. Excited because in turn, he’d be able to see into her mind. The desire to prowl through her thoughts, to learn everything she knew, everything she thought about and cared for…. the idea was intoxicating. 

Judah had given him a lecture on the delicacy of human minds before they’d left, and he knew that prying wasn’t allowed. The old man had warned him against using their bond to find out more about Bella’s trauma. Painful memories were often buried deep in one’s conscious and if they were disturbed it could damage the health of the person’s mind. But he still longed to know everything, from the painful and ugly memories to the pleasant and good ones. He wanted to possess her, inside and out. He wondered how Bella would react to his thoughts on the matter when she was able to read his mind. Would the possessive tinge to his feelings scare her? If it did he could hardly blame her. The thoughts scared him, but he was helpless to stop them. 

The time difference made it midmorning in France when they landed. Bella lifted her head from his shoulder and blinked in the sunlight that streamed through the window. She looked puzzled by the sudden change. 

“Where are we?”

“Marseille, I have a chateau here.”

She yawned in response. Bruce could see the jetlag on her face as she struggled to keep her eyes open and fumbled with the clasp of the seatbelt he’d fastened for her earlier.

“Let me,” he said.

He undid the belt and scooped her up, despite her protests. Yes, she could walk, but she was tired, and it was no chore to carry her. In the time it took for him to walk from the runway to the master bedroom, Bella fell asleep. He stripped her of her clothes and tucked her in, knowing she’d sleep for a while. He followed suit but only managed to catch a few hours. Energy buzzed in his veins and he couldn’t stay in bed for a minute longer. Bruce retreated to his office on the main floor where he put in a few hours studying the financial reports for Wayne Enterprises. 

For twenty minutes his eyes bored into the computer screen like it was a brick wall. It may as well have been because he hadn’t retained a word he’d read. With disgust, he logged off.

Nerves set in as the hours passed waiting for Bella to wake up. He poured himself a glass of brandy to combat the tension that had crept into his shoulders. Bruce propped his feet on the desk and nursed his drink as recollections of his darker pre-Bella days played through his mind. How could he stop those memories from touching Bella if their minds were connected? 

Bruce’s hands curled into fists as he slowly accepted that there was no way to protect her from himself. All he could do was hope she’d accept him even after she saw the darkness that stained his soul.


	16. Threats of the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the late posting. This week is midterms and if my head wasn't screwed on, I'd have forgotten it.

Chapter Sixteen: Threats of the Past

“Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy.” - Saadi

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce sat in the dim light of the study and stared off into space. Hours passed as he wrestled with the consequences of what he was about to do. Of what he had to do.

“Are you alright?” Bella’s voice sounded from the doorway.

Bruce turned and saw her standing there, wrapped in his robe. 

The breath left his lungs at the sight of her. 

“You’re testing my self-control, aren’t you?” Bruce asked, unable to tear his eyes off her body.

She blushed. “This was on the back of the bathroom door.”

Fire lit in his stomach. Bruce moved around the desk and stalked towards Bella. When he leaned down, she rose on her toes to meet him halfway for a searing kiss. 

“I want to do this now. The waiting is killing me,” Bella said when they broke apart.

Bruce hesitated. “No second thoughts?” 

“None. I’ve made up my mind. I want you.”

She grasped his hand and tugged him into the hall. He was helpless to do anything but follow her as she led him up the stairs.

The bedroom door shut behind them and Bella unbelted the robe to let the terry cloth fell away, revealing her naked body. Heat danced between them and he felt the power flare to life inside of him, demanding he claim his mate. Bella put her hands on his chest and pushed onto her tip toes to claim his mouth. Her hands found his belt buckle and her clever fingers undid the fastening. A moment later her hands stroked him through the silk of his boxers. Bruce groaned as the blood rushed to his lower body as his cock thickened painfully. Her hands moved in slow unhurried strokes up and down his length. It was heaven and agony at the same time.

“Bella….”

“You need to be wearing less clothes,” she said.

He couldn’t argue with that, so he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it on the bureau as she pushed down his trousers and boxers and went to her knees. At the sight of her kneeling before him the breath left his lungs. Her pink tongue darted out to flick over the pulsating head and he gasped, fisting his hand in her hair. Bella’s mouth closed over him, wet and hot. Her hands kept a tight grip on the base of him as she stroked the part of him she couldn’t take in her mouth. She settled into a slow steady rhythm he wasn’t sure he’d survive. Fire spread from his groin out until his whole body trembled with lust.

“Bella, stop,” Bruce hissed as his hand tightened warningly in her hair. 

With reluctance, she pulled back.

“Come here,” he ordered. Bruce caught her arm and hauled her to her feet.

Her mouth dropped to his chest and skimmed over the hard slab of his left pectoral as her tongue grazed his nipple. Bruce groaned, and his response encouraged her to latch on.  
He gave her hair a little tug to stop her. 

“You little minx,” he growled.

“But I want to explore you.”

Bruce backed her to the mattress and pushed her down, blanketing her with his body. Her hands went to his hips and she arched against him, her soft body a perfect cradle for his hardness. 

“We’ll have plenty of time for that later,” Bruce said before he captured her mouth. 

Heat built between them again, hotter now as need mingled with emotion. Bruce worked his way down her body to capture the peak of her breast between his teeth. Bella whimpered, and he felt her body clench. 

“Bruce!” Her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. 

He could feel the heat from her core in this position and a fierce wave of need tightened his muscles. Still he forced himself to take his time and tease her other breast, which made her body ripple against him as she gyrated her hips. 

“Don’t wait,” she gasped.

Bruce slid over her, coming to rest in the cradle of her hips and entered her slowly, mindful of her tightness. Inch by inch he invaded her body as he watched her features twist with pleasure. He trembled as he finally slid home, wrapped in the tight sheath of her channel. 

This was it. Bella was his refuge. He was no longer his own person, he belonged to her in heart, body and soul. She’d broken the curse of darkness and transformed him from broken to whole.

He began to rock his hips, seeking a deeper angle, wanting to hear her scream in ecstasy.

Bella quivered and tensed. He felt the flutter of her delicate muscles around him and then they clamped down. She threw back her head and a whimper broke from her throat, the sound almost pained. She sobbed and then exploded, arching against him as her body undulated around him as pleasure over took her. Her senses felt heightened, her body acutely attuned to his while her orgasm went on and on, the strength and intensity of it shocking. Her mind was blank, unable to process anything but the violent sensations tearing through her. She clung to Bruce as he moved inside of her driving her higher and higher. Fire scorched her every nerve ending and seared through her like a brand. Blood pounded in her veins and she screamed when he hit a sensitive spot deep inside of her. She couldn’t tell where he began and she ended. 

Through the haze of pleasure, she vaguely heard his voice in her ear, speaking in a harsh language something, more primitive than English. He whispered the refrain in her ear repeatedly, until it sounded in her mind. She felt his control break. His body shuddered, his cock pulsed inside of her and she felt the warmth of his release. Bruce collapsed, his weight a welcome blanket of warmth. Bella touched his temple as he’d told her, completing their bond.

Can you hear me? His voice sounded in her mind, as if he’d spoken aloud. 

Bella gasped.

Can you?

Yes, she thought, uncertain if he would be able to hear.

“It worked.” Bruce said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was difficult to adjust to the bond.

Over the next few days the connection between their minds opened to let thoughts flow back and forth between them. There was little control over what was shared and what wasn’t. They could speak through the connection and project thoughts and images into each other’s minds, but there was one complication for Bella.

Unless Bruce projected his thoughts, she couldn’t hear them.

She could catch the tenor of his mind and knew he was connected to her but the words running through his head escaped her. It was as if there was a wall between them that muffled the words while it allowed her to catch the sound. On occasion she picked up the odd thought, but it wasn’t the same as how he heard her. Bruce could repeat her thoughts word for word without effort. 

Stop worrying about it. Bruce’s voice sounded in her mind.

Bella rolled over to face him and scowled. “Now you’re just eavesdropping.”

They were sprawled in the bed with the windows open, letting the warm breeze play over their sweat dampened skin. 

“You never tell me what you’re thinking. I have to eavesdrop.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it. Instead, she changed the topic. “Maybe we should leave the bed today.”

“Want to go swimming?”

“There’s a pool?” 

“It’s behind the garden,” Bruce grinned. “Enclosed by hedges, very private. Who knows what kind of naughtiness we could get up to out there.” 

They spent the afternoon in the pool, swam, sunbathed and made love twice. Although she’d applied a thick layer of 50 SPF, Bella’s sunburn began to make its appearance that evening. 

“Leaving the bed wasn’t all it cracked up the be, huh?” Bruce mused, as he massaged aloe vera into her shoulders. 

“Fine. We’ll do an indoor activity next time.” 

“You know the back garden would be perfect for our wedding.”

Bella groaned. 

“Don’t be so negative,” Bruce said.

“Do you have any idea how much work it is to plan a wedding?”

“And on a six-week deadline.”

She bolted upright. “What?”

“I’m allowing you six weeks to put together the wedding of your choice and the day it’s up we’re getting on a plane to Vegas.”

“That’s outrageous! You have to be joking.” 

“Read my mind.”

She did, and saw that he was serious. She had no way out except through. 

“Fine. Six weeks. I have no idea what I’m going to do.”

“Just give me a time and date and let me know if I need to get my tux cleaned.”

“Vegas might end up being our best bet,” Bella said. She wondered what all went into planning a wedding. The thought alone was chilling.

After a day spent in the sun, she was tired. It wasn’t nine yet, but Bruce urged her into bed when she started to yawn. She curled into her usual position, cuddled against Bruce’s side with her head on his chest where the steady beat of his heart lulled her to sleep.

The dreamland that Bella found herself in that night was familiar territory. This dream or more accurately, this nightmare was a constant in her life. It began, as it always did, at the trail head behind Charlie’s house. In this incarnation of the dream it was raining heavily, and the mist was so think that she could barely make out the shape of the clapboard house through the haze. Edward approached, walking towards her through clouds, his figure recognizable before he was close enough for her to make out his features.

A wave of agony crashed over her when she saw him. Crippling pain stole her breath as the sensation of having a hole punched through her chest, excising her most vital organ,  
overcame her. Despite the terrible wound, she somehow managed to survive, even as blood poured out of it. The burning sensation in her heart throbbed in a rhythm. Loss crushed her under its weight as she struggled to breathe against the emotion. 

Edward stopped in front of her his expression blank, zombie like. 

“Come for a walk with me,” he said, without emotion. 

Dread crept into her heart as she followed through the steps she’d taken that day in the forest. This memory, played as a dream, taunted her on a regular basis. The coming agony was unescapable as it loomed over her like the sword of Damocles. On the hike, her anxiety built with each step and allowed her the chance to anticipate the killing blow that would be delivered before the dream ended. 

Her words were the same as they’d been that day. 

“Okay, let’s talk,” she invited. 

Her voice was strong and sounded brave. Oh, what a fool she’d been!

Edward leaned against the trunk of a moss-covered tree, his face unreadable. “Bella, we’re leaving.”

She asked why, and he sprouted an excuse about Carlisle’s age. She’d been in denial, still believing he planned to take her with him. That he’d one day make her a vampire, securing their future forever. 

Nausea cramped her stomach as she realized her misunderstanding. “When you say we-”

“I mean myself and my family.”

She could feel herself shaking her head as she tried to wrap her mind around his words. They seemed foreign, as if he’d spoken in a language she didn’t understand. Pain pounded through her veins and spread through her system as her mind kicked in, processing the situation. 

“I’ll come with you,” she heard herself offer.

Edward’s refusal was swift. “You can’t. Where we’re going isn’t the right place for you.”

She tried to reason with him, but he remained steadfast. Finally, she went for the cause of his actions.

“What happened with Jasper was nothing!” 

His mouth twisted into a grim line. “You’re right. It was to be expected.”

“This is about my soul isn’t it? I don’t care. You can have my soul. I don’t want it without you- it’s yours already.”

He stared unseeingly at the ground for a long moment. When his eyes returned to hers they were different, hard and cold as if the liquid gold had frozen over.

"Bella, I don't want you to come with me." 

The words were slow and precise, and they echoed in her head, unrelenting. She struggled to grasp them.

"You... don't... want me?" Bella spoke the words back to him, tasting their bitterness as they passed her lips.

"No."

His face was stony as he stared unapologetically down at her. His icy golden eyes confirmed the sentiments he’d spoken in clearer terms than words ever could have expressed. 

“I’ve let this go on far too long,” Edward said. “I’m sorry for that.”

“Don’t,” she begged, her voice wavering. “Don’t do this.”

“You’re not good for me,” he said with finality.

Her heart shattered, because it was true. She wasn’t good enough for him. She never had been and she would never be. The memory began to blur. Through the dull roar in her ears she heard him say that Alice had already left. The shattered remains of her heart broke a little more as she realized she’d lost her best friend along with the love of her life. In one fell swoop, everything worth living for had been destroyed. 

“Goodbye, Bella,” he said, the words decisive.

“Wait,” she screamed as she threw herself after him. 

But he was gone.

The pain came. Brutal, unyielding and life changing pain broke out of its chains, tearing her very soul apart. Despite the devastation she felt, she still tried to follow him in the dream. The forest was so dark in the nightmare she could hardly see but she couldn’t stop moving because if she stopped moving it meant that everything was over. Love, life, meaning…. over. The screaming began. She could feel herself scream but could hear no sound. It was a terrifying sensation, as if she had no voice.

“Bella! Bella, wake up!” 

A familiar voice intruded on her nightmare, trying to drag her to the surface but she was still trapped in the dream forest where she searched for Edward, stumbling around in the darkness. 

Bella, wake up this instant. Bruce’s command penetrated the mental fog of her brain and her eyes opened. He was on top of her, straddling her, his hands braced on her shoulders as he shook her. The fury in his eyes sent a shiver of fear down her spine.

All of a sudden, she became aware of two things at once. Her face was wet with tears and he’d been in her mind through the entire nightmare.

She’d become so used to his constant presence in her thoughts she hadn’t felt him in the trance like state of her dream. Her heart pounded, shame made her face burn hot and she pushed him away and tried to bury her face in the pillow. Bruce was unmovable. 

Don’t push me away, he said in her head. 

Please, she begged. Don’t.

“Bella,” Bruce growled.

I didn’t want you to see that. I never wanted anyone to see that. 

The humiliating heart crushing blow had been private, not meant to be shared. The hole in her chest burned.

“Come here,” Bruce murmured as he wrapped his arms around her. He shifted onto his back and leaned against the headboard with her cradled in his lap. Bella buried her face in the crook of his neck, refusing to look at him, but she couldn’t stop the tears that ran down her cheeks or the tremors that wracked her body. 

Bruce tightened his hold on her.

“Don’t cry,” he said, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

His words had no effect. Her throat burned, and a sob escaped, and then she began to weep.

Bruce could see she was beyond words, so he waited and held her, rubbed her shoulders, and let her cry. He took the box of Kleenex from the nightstand handed it to her. Bella clutched it to her chest as the tears rolled down her face and Bruce felt helpless. He wasn’t sure he’d ever felt this powerless before in his entire life. After what felt like hours her sobs gave way to gasps as the tears slowed to a steady trickle. 

Taking a tissue, he wiped away her tears. 

“He was an idiot.”

Do you still love me? 

The question she pushed into his mind took him off guard. She was serious in asking it, and afraid of the answer. 

“Bella, I’ll always love you,” Bruce said, cupping her chin and forcing her to look up at him. Her damp, bloodshot, eyes gleamed with fear. “How can you wonder that after seeing my mind?” 

“I’m sorry. I can’t help what I felt for Edward.”

“I’m not judging you for having your heart broken.”

“Aren’t you upset?” 

“You have baggage, just like I do. You didn’t judge me for my past.”

His easy acceptance boggled her mind.

“Bruce, I’m not….” worth it.

Her miserable thought reached him through their bond, as if she was afraid to speak them aloud.

Anger boiled inside of him. Feeling it, Bella flinched.

Bruce’s arms tightened around her. “Edward was a fool. I’m not. I’m not like him at all. You’ve been in my head and you know who I am. I’m not always good, kind, or compassionate. I’m selfish and cruel and greedy. He gave you up because he was good. He wanted what was best for you and he knew it wasn’t him. I realize that I’m not the best man for you either, but I don’t care. I won’t let you go, I can’t. I can’t let you go Bella, do you understand that? Deep down, that’s what you’re worried about isn’t it? That I’ll leave you?”

“That you won’t want me anymore,” Bella said, her voice cracking.

“I need you as much as I need oxygen. I can’t live without you. Even if you wanted me to leave I couldn’t. Don’t ever compare me to him.” 

“I’m sorry,” she groaned.

“I understand more now that I’ve seen your side of it. How did you recover?”

Her pain had been terrible to experience, even in memory. Something like that inevitably would have led to a serious depression. 

Bella didn’t respond with words, but she opened her mind to him and showed him the memory of the time after Edward had left her. First, there was the bleak months of nothingness before Jake had saved her. Then, a brighter memory, of Jake sweeping in like her own personal sunshine and wiping away the misery that stained her soul. The young werewolf had knit her broken heart back together, particularly after Charlie’s death. 

Then Jake had been killed too. Her father’s death had ripped her world apart, but Jake’s death had felt like being smothered. It was torturing to know you were responsible for two cold blooded murders. The guilt was like a boulder on her chest that made every breath laborious. 

To date, her most painful memory was the sight of Billy Black’s tears. The strong old man’s liquid black eyes had held so much pain Bella couldn’t look at him. He’d lost so much before her, with the death of his wife. She’d taken his best friend and then his son within months of each other. Harry Clearwater’s heart attack two days later had provided the final push she’d needed to leave. Forks had been dealt enough tragedy. She’d done the right thing by leaving. 

“How do you not hate him?” Bruce wondered aloud. 

Bella sighed. “I loved him too much to ever be able to hate him. But sometimes I did wish that he knew what he’d done to me. I wondered if he’d even regret it though. When he left, it was clear that he didn’t have any feelings left for me.”

“But you still love him, even now.”

Guilt welled up inside of her. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You can’t help what you feel.”

“I didn’t want you to know. No one wants their partner to love someone else.”

“I can see that some part of you still loves him, but I can also see how crushed you were what happened after he left. You could never go back to him, not when a small part of you holds him responsible for what happened.”

“I know that. And I also know that it wasn’t his fault. He thought Victoria would come after him, not me. How I feel isn’t fair.”

Bruce thought it was more than reasonable. Bella noticed it in their mind and looked up at him with reproach. 

“If he was your boyfriend. He was a vampire and you were human - it was his responsibility to protect you. I won’t be so careless,” Bruce said, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. 

Bella sighed and pressed herself closer to him. She spoke through their bond, showing him her mind and emotions with her words. 

I know that. I feel very safe with you. Even when Victoria was chasing me, and I didn’t know you were a warlock, I still felt safe with you. 

I’ll always protect you, Bruce vowed to her.

Her relief was a palpable thing that passed through their connection without words. 

The emotional exertion she’d gone through left Bella tired and within a short time she lay in his arms, asleep. Bruce held her as he reflected on her dream. He didn’t believe for a moment that Edward hadn’t wanted her. She didn’t have the self-esteem to see how preposterous the idea was, or how he’d struggled through their conversation. Every word had been stilted as if he was reading from a script. 

And she still loved him. It was broken and buried, but it was strong. What would he do if Edward returned? Would it be possible for the embers of her first love to be fanned into a fire once more? He felt that it was within the realm of possibility for her to return to the vampire. He hadn’t lied to her before. He was a greedy, selfish man and he refused to lose her. The thought of what he might do to keep her with him scared him, because he knew what he was capable of.

His phone vibrated with a loud buzz on the nightstand. Bruce snagged it before the noise could wake Bella.

“Hello?”

“It’s me. Can you talk?” Judah asked.

“Just a second,” Bruce murmured as he carefully detangled himself from his sleeping mate.

He stepped out into the hall and closed the door.

“Agents of the Volturi arrived in Gotham this morning. Jane, her brother Alec, and two of their most loyal soldiers, Felix and Demetri. They checked into the Four Seasons and then investigated the scene of the last murder.”

“Vampires use hotels?” 

“They have to stay somewhere when the sun is out,” Judah said.

“Right. Bella and I are due back tomorrow.”

“I’ll update you if anything happens. Text me when you land.”

“Wait,” Bruce said, stopping the warlock from hanging up. “Can I use magic on Bella through our mental connection?”

Judah’s tone was wary. “On her? Why?”

“She isn’t always the best at listening to my advice when it comes to her safety. Could I force her to obey me, if I needed to?”

Judah hesitated a long moment before he answered. “Yes. But she would know that you had done it. Your connection is too intimate for you to hide your actions from her. You would be manipulating her free will, a serious breach of trust.” 

The warning was clear in his tone. Don’t do it.

“Thanks.” 

Bruce hung up and returned to bed.

Perhaps Victoria and her partner would be taken care of without his interference. Maybe the redhead’s lack of circumspection would be her downfall. But his instincts warned him that things were never that simple. One thing was for sure. With four members of the Volturi Guard in the city, the people of Gotham – human and inhuman- were in a perilous situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	17. The Past Returns

Chapter Seventeen: The Past Returns

“In this bright future, you can't forget your past.” – Bob Marley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The oppressive cloud of misery that hung over the Cullen household was so pervasive it was made Alice feel ill. Edward had brought the cloud with him when he’d returned from Brazil. It was always this way. Whenever he with the rest of the family his pain saturated the house and its residents to amplify the suffering of each person. The loss of Bella had shaken the Cullen family. Vampires were static and unchanging by nature, and only the most powerful of forces could affect them. Love was by far the most powerful of those forces and in their own way, all the Cullens had loved Bella.

They’d done their best to move on from the events of five years ago and to some extent they had succeeded. 

But the pain lingered. Esme and Carlisle had opened their hearts to Bella and adopted her as a daughter. To lose her, and Edward, in one blow had devastated them. Jasper was wracked with guilt despite the five years that had passed. Even Emmett, who was so quick to move on from tragedy, remained upset. Rosalie put up a good front, but her husband’s melancholy troubled her. As for Alice, she didn’t have words to express the pain she felt. Bella had been her best friend and Edward her closest confidant. To lose them both had torn out her heart. Edward’s gift allowed him to see through the masks of happiness they presented. Because of it, he usually stayed away.

Jasper lay on the sofa with his head in Alice’s lap. She massaged his scalp, knowing the misery he was enduring with everyone’s heartbreak running through him. 

From upstairs, she could hear the faint strains of Bella’s lullaby playing over his earbuds. In the five years since the breakup he hadn’t touched the piano, but he listened to the song he’d written for her several times a day. 

Jasper groaned and turned his face into Alice’s stomach. Her heart tore at his rare display of pain and she leaned down and kissed his hair. 

He sighed. “Don’t feel sorry for me. I deserve it.”

Alice shot him a hard look. She knew he felt her disagreement, but he just shut his eyes and ignored her. 

All of a sudden, a vision was on her.

In her mind’s eye a city street appeared, dark except for the patches of illumination provided by wide spaced street lights. The neighborhood before her was run down, with gang tagging on several buildings that lined the street. From the corner of her eye there was a flash of movement, too fast for it to be anything other than a vampire. Alice caught a glimpse of scarlet hair and a chill swept through her. She focused harder on the vision. The scene changed in an instant and she was fifty yards down at the mouth of an alley. 

Victoria stood in the center of the alley, some ways down. The redhead glanced back over her shoulder, her expression cautious. Then she took off at top speed. Alice raced after her. She sprinted through the narrow city streets right behind Victoria.

They were on the trail of something. In the vision there was no sense of smell, so Alice couldn’t be sure of what, but every so often Victoria would slow enough to scent the air. She did it again at the corner and froze. The redhead turned and faced a building. Alice turned as well and looked up at a gray apartment complex, with crumbling front steps. Victoria sniffed the air and gave a soft growl. Her crimson eyes lit with fire and Alice knew she’d found her prey. She followed her, around the corner to the fire escape and up to the fourth floor, where she slipped through a window into an apartment. 

Victoria spit out a vile word at the sight of the empty room. The studio apartment was bare of everything except of a bed and mattress. Alice watched her search the room, but there was nothing to be found. Anger rolled off the vampire in palpable waves; she spat on the floor and stalked to the mattress. Under her powerful fingers, the dense material shredded like crepe paper. When the mattress had been rendered an unrecognizable pile of fuzz and stuffing Victoria stalked to the window. Just as the vision began slipping away, the redhead paused. Her hands were on the window sill, braced to open it and make her escape. 

With her eyes narrowed to slits she hissed at the vacant room, “I’ll find you, bitch.”

When Alice’s vision cleared Jasper and Edward stood over her with worried faces. 

“What did you see?” Jasper asked.

“Victoria. She’s in a city and she’s hunting someone.”

“I recognized the One Gotham Center building on the city scape,” Edward said. 

Relief colored his voice and Alice knew it was because Bella was likely nowhere near Gotham. Her roots were on the west coast, far away from New Jersey. 

Alice stood and smoothed down her skirt. “Well, let’s go.”

“No!” Jasper and Edward spoke in unison. 

Their joint refusal didn’t dissuade her. “Look,” she said to Edward. “You’ve made no progress hunting her in five years, even with my help. Not to be harsh but with your talents, five years of hunting with nothing to show for it is pathetic. You need me. For Bella’s sake we need to end this, once and for all.” 

Alice faced Jasper hand he raised his hands in surrender, his mouth pursed with displeasure.

She gave him a warm smile. “You’re a smart man, Jasper Hale.” 

“I know when I’ve lost. But I’m coming to Gotham with you.” 

“I expected as much.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Let’s go on a date.”

Bella looked up from her laptop and stared at Bruce. “What?”

Since their return from Marseille they’d settled into an easy rhythm. When she wasn’t modeling or working on her business, she was with him in the bat cave or he came up to the kitchen to sit with her. Today they were at the breakfast bar.

“A date,” Bruce said again.

“I heard you. But why?”

“Gotham doesn’t know I’m engaged.”

Bella couldn’t stop her smirk.

“What?”

“I’m about to break the hearts of thousands of women in Gotham City, and a few men.”

Bruce grunted. “You just had to go there, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

He selected an invitation from the stack of mail he’d been sorting. “How does a wine tasting sound?”

“Fine. Dress code?”

“Black tie.” 

Bella made a face.

After much deliberation she ended up in one of the designer pieces she’d been gifted after last year’s Fashion Week, paired with silver pumps so she wouldn’t look like a dwarf beside Bruce. He held open the car door as she climbed in and raised an eyebrow at her shoes.

“Do you plan to break your ankle tonight?”

“Not as long as I have you to balance on.”

Traffic was light, and they made it to Gotham in good time. Bruce headed towards an expensive area of West Gotham she’d driven through before but had never had any cause to stop in. As they rounded the final corner Bella was shocked to see a crowd of people gathered at the entrance to the bar. “What’s all this?”

“Society reporters, gossip magazines, maybe even some entertainment news. The reporters call it the let-them-eat-cake beat.” 

Her stomach twisted. Press. 

What kind of a scandal would it cause for Bruce if the police found a photo of her, still alive, on the opposite side of the country? Renee or Phil might see it, or even Billy. She was the fiancée of a billionaire socialite, one of the most powerful men in the country, if not the world. Until now she hadn’t thought of him that way, but it was true. When the media found out Bruce was engaged they’d want to know who she was. The car drew closer to the packed sidewalk and her heart pounded in triple time as fear seized her by the chest.

“We’re leaving,” Bruce said and sped up.

Bruce had seen her thoughts again, Bella realized. It was impossible to tell when he was in her mind or out of it - he moved like a shadow, his presence as natural and unobtrusive as a fly on the wall. 

“Wait,” Bella protested as he passed the reporters. Bruce ignored her and turned left at the stop light.

“I said wait!” 

“You’re right. We can’t put your safety at risk.”

“Bruce, I don’t want to hide forever. I have access to your power now and I can protect myself. I don’t want to run anymore!”

He scowled, but opened his mind to her. Half formed ideas flowed through his thoughts, but she struggled to grasp them. There was something about the way his mind worked that was hard to understand. It wasn’t fair that he could read her mind like it was a children’s book when his thoughts escaped her. 

Bella reached across the consul to touch his arm. “Bruce, tell me what you’re thinking. If you have an idea I want to know. I’m serious – I’m done running.” 

He turned off the road and into the empty parking lot of a medical center where he parked and cut the engine. Bruce turned to face her, one hand still on the steering wheel and the other braced on the shoulder of her seat, his expression unreadable. 

“Amnesia.” 

Bella stared at him without comprehension. 

“A few years ago, the Daily Planet did an article on a businessman from Texas who was prone to bouts of amnesia triggered by stress. He was in Gotham when one hit and he wandered out of his hotel. Eventually someone found him and took him to a hospital, but the damage was done. It took an investigative reporter a full year to put the pieces together and reunite the man with his family.”

“That’s interesting?”

“We could plant a story about the something similar happening to you. Say that a head trauma scrambled your memory when you were away. Seattle probably. It would have to be somewhere large enough for you to get lost in red tape and paperwork, somewhere you could fly under the radar.”

“It would never work,” Bella said, as reality intruded on the fantasy. “There are too many discrepancies in my story.” 

“You won’t have to explain inconsistencies if don’t remember anything. As for witnesses, I can plant memories in people’s minds.” 

Bella took a deep breath and said, “A head trauma wouldn’t be out of character for me.”

“We’ll supply a witness who took you to the hospital, a few bystanders for the accident that the police interviewed, and then the detectives who worked your case. Also, hospital staff and social workers.” 

“But the state police checked hospitals when they were looking for me.”

“You’d be surprised how often mistakes are made in missing persons’ cases,” Bruce said. “Employees mix up details, reports go unfiled because of back log and an inquiry is answered incorrectly. We’ll build up the story as we go and find plausible explanations for gaps. Your memory loss will work in our favor.”

“I could see my Mom and Phil again.” A sudden lump rose in her throat at the thought. Bruce took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

Bella groaned and rubbed her eye. “What if I mess it up? Pretending not to remember my mother will be impossible. Something will slip out and I’ll give myself away.” 

“I can put a temporary mental block in your mind,” Bruce said. “When we visit your mother, you would have no memories of anything before five years ago. I could remove it when we returned.”

It was a high price to pay for seeing her friends and family again. She tried to imagine what it would be like to forget everything, but couldn’t wrap her head around it. All the memories that made her who she was would be stripped away.

“You can choose what I block and what stays in. I can take away the memories of the people you knew, the places and leave your knowledge of vampires and werewolves.”

You must want me to forget Edward, Bella said through their link. If the situations had been reversed that would be her instinct.

“I won’t lie to you. I’d love to see you forget Edward. But making an alteration like that would be a violation of your mind. No matter how careful I was, it would hurt you and that’s one thing I could never live with.” 

She saw in his mind that he wanted to take away the pain, but knew it wasn’t possible.

Bruce was taken off guard when Bella threw herself over the consul into his arms. She twisted awkwardly over the divider to hug him.

She spoke directly into his mind. I love you, Bruce. So much.

“I love you, too,” he whispered in her ear as his arms constricted around her.

“Let’s go back.”

Bruce grimaced.

“I’m fine,” she insisted. “I want to do this. I want to be with you, in public.”

His expression didn’t change. Something moved in his mind that he tried to hide from her, but their connection was so close. Bella caught the thought.

“Are you worried about your reputation?”

A muscle in Bruce’s jaw jumped and she could hear his teeth grind when he clenched them. Bella pressed her hand to his cheek. “Bruce?”

“I’m not as bad as the press makes me out to be when it comes to women,” he said. “But I have a long history in Gotham, and with the crowd at this event. I’ll have slept with or dated half the women there and a couple of the female reporters covering the event.” 

She couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Someone’s been busy.”

He winced.

“Sorry,” Bella said.

Bruce was hiding his thoughts from her now and she was at a loss for words.

What should she say? That she was comfortable with his former lifestyle? That would be an outright lie. It irked her that so many women had been in his bed before her. Some part of her always felt like she was competing with them. She had so little experience that she’d always wonder if she pleased him physically. But he’d chosen her. Of the millions of women who wanted him, he’d chosen her. They were bonded so that he could never abandon her, never walk away. Bruce Wayne was absolutely and unconditionally hers.   
Bruce watched her with apprehension. Bella could feel his anxiety and knew her silence scared him.

She met his eyes and offered him a soft smile. “You picked me.”

He let out a shaky breath of relief. “And somehow you settled for me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the eleventh floor of the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Gotham, Edward stalked around the hotel suite, his hands clenched into fists and his jaw tight. Alice and Jasper sat on the couch and watched him. Ever since the sun had forced them into their room at morning light, Edward had paced. He’d done circles around the furniture first, then paced from the window to the door like a caged tiger. Every third time he stopped by the window to check the progress of the sun in the sky. 

“Don’t even try it!” 

Edward’s outburst took Alice by surprise as he whirled on Jasper.

The blond sighed. “Could you calm down? I’m sure she’s fine.”

Alice was silent, but she couldn’t hide her worry from her mate. Jasper laced their fingers together and frowned down at her. “We found Bella’s scent in the apartment, Alice. She’s alive.” 

“You saw the article. She went missing five years ago.” 

“We found her,” Jasper said.

“Her scent was stale.” Edward spoke from the other side of the room, his voice strained. 

Neither Alice nor Jasper offered a rebuttal. What he said was true. Her scent had been faint, barely discernable in the tiny studio apartment where Alice had seen Victoria. They’d all tried to track the scent, but Gotham was a huge city and the scent weak. Alice had tried to see Bella’s future, but nothing had happened. With dawn breaking the trio had retreated to the safety of their hotel suite where Alice had scoured the internet for any information on Bella’s whereabouts. 

What they’d found had shocked them all. Bella had gone missing and Charlie had the victim of a gruesome murder. As they sat and waited for the sun to go down, Alice couldn’t help but wonder if Bella hadn’t met with the same fate as her father. 

Her disquiet vanished as Jasper’s calming influence washed over her. “Thank you,” she said as she laid her head on his shoulder. 

“Try looking for Bella again,” Edward asked.

“I’ve tried five times. It’s not working,” Alice said. 

Edward faced her. “Why?”

Alice sighed. “Her future is blank.”

“So she might be dead already.”

Hearing the one idea she’d blocked from her mind spoken aloud appalled her.

“No!” Alice sprung to her feet and glared up at Edward. “I don’t believe it. Her scent was there, she isn’t dead!”

“Her scent was very old,” Edward countered. “She’s human and humans die.”

A wave of dizziness swept over her as a vision flashed through her mind. Edward knelt before Aro, restrained by Demetri and Felix as Caius grasped his head, his feet braced wide apart. Alice gasped. She looked at her brother, horrified. It couldn’t be. He would never do that to Carlisle and Esme, to her!

“Edward?”

“I have no other choice.”

“We don’t know she’s dead yet. At least be sure.” 

Jasper rose from his seat and reached for his mate, her acute distress too much for him to bear. “What is it?”

“Edward is going to have the Volturi end his life if Bella is dead.”

Jasper stiffened. “Listen to me-,” 

“No,” Edward cut him off. “You would do the same thing if it was Alice and you know it. My decisions are my own and that is final.”

“You’re hurting Alice. That makes it my business! I won’t let you go.”

“You think you could lock me up until this passes?” Edward said, voicing the man’s thoughts.

“Yes. For your sake, and for everyone who loves you.”

“It won’t pass,” he said, with a certainty that broke Alice’s heart. “I can’t live without her.”

“One week,” Jasper reasoned. “We’ve barely begun searching for her. Give it a chance. Like Alice said her scent was still in the apartment. We’re close.”

Edward hesitated.

“What if she is alive,” Alice asked. “She’d be devastated if she knew what you’d done. She loves you.” 

Deliberately, she said love in the present tense. 

“Fine,” Edward said. “But if she’s dead, you will let me go through with this.”

Neither Jasper nor Alice agreed. Edward sighed and looked out the window. 

“It’s dark enough. Let’s go.”


	18. The Rival

Chapter Eighteen: The Rival

“Fear is the mother of foresight.” - Thomas Hardy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The wine tasting was held at a bar named Bordeaux Alley. Bella hadn’t anticipated stairs and on the third step she wobbled. Bruce slipped an arm around her waist to help her balance. They made it to the basement level and found the party was already in full swing. At their entrance the quiet din of conversations hushed, as a host of curious eyes lingered on the newcomers.

He felt Bella tense.

“What are they looking at?” she whispered.

You, Bruce said to her mentally. 

He felt her dismay. 

That’s what I was afraid of, she told him. 

“Don’t worry,” Bruce said as he draped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her to him. “They’re too polite to stare for long.”

It turned out he was right. The eyes turned away and within a few moments an inquisitive couple approached to be introduced to Bruce’s fiancée. It appeared that word had spread of their engagement. As the hour progressed with an endless stream of introductions, she felt a bit like the main attraction in a petting zoo. At the rate she was going, she was on track to double the number of acquaintances she had in Gotham by the end of the night.

She was rescued when one of her new associates seemed to sense her discomfort. Melissa, a tall blonde woman who was a former pediatrician now married to a bank president. Melissa affixed herself to Bella’s side and began to make polite, distracting conversation. When Bruce was drawn into conversation with a group of men over at the bar, she led Bella to a nearby table of socialite wives, away from the other women. Surrounded by married women who didn’t look down their noses at her and offer stiff, disgruntled smiles because she’d taken away their favorite plaything, she was much more comfortable.

She felt Bruce’s eyes on her and looked up. He was watching her from across the room. A swell of worry reached her, coming from his mind into hers.

How are you doing?

I’m good, she assured him. Melissa is a life saver. 

You’re sure?

Well, have to say that I’ve been immune to how rich you are. I’ve been invited onto the boards of four different charities so far.

His laughter sounded in her mind. My last name makes me just as popular as my deep pockets here. The socialites love a well-breed son of the city. 

Soon, the two glasses of wine she’d drunk had her asking Melissa for directions to the restroom. It was upstairs, which required another treacherous walk up the narrow steps to the main floor. 

When she left the lavatory, there was someone waiting for her in the hall. An unfamiliar man leaned against the wall, a nasty expression on his face. He wore a light gray suit with a peach handkerchief displayed in his breast pocket. It was an exact match for his paisley print tie. His pale blue eyes ran up and down her body and chills broke out on her skin. 

Bella stiffened her spine and narrowed her eyes.

“Can I help you?”

His words were slurred. “You’re taking a big risk on Wayne, you know that, right?”

“I disagree,” Bella said. She stepped to the right, to slip past him, but he parried her movement.

“So, fiancée, right? How long do you think that’ll last?” He didn’t give her the chance to reply but gave a harsh laugh. “None of Wayne’s women ever last long.”

Bella felt the words like a bucket of ice water being thrown in her face. Fear was her automatic response, immediate and uncontrollable. In the next instant, her senses returned, and she was ashamed of her reaction.

“I don’t think my relationship is any of your concern.”

Her cold tone made him pause, but only for a moment. The man sneered.

“A model, huh? And an old one at that,” he said, his eyes scanning her face critically. “He proposed to get into your pants. In six weeks he’ll throw you over for someone younger, or maybe something different, a blonde or a redhead. He goes through the models like most men go through coffee filters.”

Peach tie stepped closer, crowding her space, but she refused to give him the pleasure of backing away. Bella lifted her chin and met his eyes without flinching, despite her unease. It seemed bravery was the wrong way to go because his entire expression darkened, and his hand shot out and grasped her upper arm. His fingers cut into her arm with bruising force and he leaned down into her face. 

“You think you know better, bitch? Wayne stole my fiancée. She came to a party with me and left with him. Four days later it was over. It’ll be over for you too, so I hope you’re enjoying it while it lasts.”

“Let go of me!”

“What aren’t you models used to it?” he sneered. “Taking off your clothes for the cameras, the casting directors, whoever asks. I’m not touching anything a million guys before me haven’t.”

All of a sudden, he shoved her, the force of the move surprising. In an instant, Bella found herself pinned between him and the wall. She gasped, gathering the air to scream, when his weight was lifted off her.

Bruce grasped the man by the collar and swung him around, slamming him violently into the opposite wall. The man yelped as the back of his skull connected with the mahogany wood paneling and a sickening crack sounded. Bruce had one hand wrapped around the other man’s throat. The other was on his chest, keeping him pinned as he struggled. Rage rolled off Bruce in waves and Bella stood frozen with horror, watching as the man gasped for air. His face turned blotchy and red.

“Touch my fiancée again and I’ll kill you, Jefferson.” 

The man continued his fruitless struggle against Bruce’s stranglehold. 

He would kill him, Bella realized.

“Bruce, stop!!” 

She grabbed him by the shoulder, but he didn’t budge. Up close she could see that the knuckles of the hand he had wrapped around Jefferson’s neck had turned white.

“Let go!”

It was as if he couldn’t hear her. Jefferson’s eyes rolled back in his head.

Her hands grasped Bruce’s arm and she shook him, demanding his attention. “Let him go, now!”

She felt the wave of anger that went through him, but he released his grip.

“Please. Let’s just leave,” she said.

When Bruce let go, Jefferson slid down the wall and collapsed. He didn’t bother to check if the man was alive or dead. He turned to face Bella, his eyes scanning her for damage. 

“Are you okay?” The words were rough with emotion.

“Yes.”

She extended her hand to him and he took it and let her guide him out to the main bar, away from the back hall. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” 

“I’m fine.”

Her answer must not have convinced him because Bruce cupped her elbow and led her to a corner booth. When she was seated he shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around her. Though she didn’t need it – she wasn’t in shock or anything- she couldn’t deny that the warmth was pleasant. 

Bruce slid in beside her and crushed her against his chest. 

“I’m alright,” Bella reassured him. 

Perhaps she was alright, but he wasn’t. Anger, catalyzed by guilt, boiled deep inside of Bruce, an inferno ready to explode. It took several minutes before the red haze that had taken hold of him receded. 

“Twelve years ago,” he said.

“What?”

“I stole his fiancée twelve years ago. I didn’t know she was engaged until after the fact. When she told me, I ended our relationship. If what we had could be considered a relationship to begin with.”

“Bruce it’s okay. I don’t need an explanation for something that happened more than a decade ago.”

“You’re my fiancée. You deserve one.” 

“Bruce, you don’t have any reason to feel guilty. It wasn’t your fault,” Bella said. 

Bruce raised an eyebrow. “You were attacked at a wine tasting that it was my idea to go to, because you were with me. Because Jefferson Battle has a long memory.” 

“A guy like Jefferson sneaks up on women in hallways because he has anger issues and wants a soft target.”

Bruce sighed. “Speaking of…. what he said. About modeling.”

He hesitated, and she could feel his uncertainty. 

“Have you considered quitting your job?”

Bella was surprised by the abrupt change of topic. Her brain struggled to switch gears. “What?”

“Modeling,” Bruce prompted her.

“I know, but why?”

“You don’t like it.”

Her head tilted to the side. “Is that all?”

“There’s a lot of creeps in your business. They’re attracted to a pool of beautiful young women who have few legal protections and no one looking out for them. I’m not comfortable with you working with some of the people there. What do you weigh, anyhow?”

Bella blanched at the question. “Where is this coming from?” 

Her reaction made his concern kick up a notch. “Don’t dodge the question. I want a number.”

She twisted her fingers in her lap. “About a hundred pounds.”

His heart thudded in his chest as he calculated her BMI to be seventeen. Underweight. And that was if she was a hundred pounds. He sensed that she was rounding up. A quick look in her mind proved he was right.

“You don’t like modeling. Why keep at it?”

Bella shrugged. “If the easy income is there, who am I to say no? I earned six figures before taxes last year, the first time I’d modeled full time. It paid for college entirely and helped me start my business.”

“You don’t need the money anymore,” he protested.

She raised an eyebrow and he felt her mood darken. “What are you saying?”

He scrambled for words. “I didn’t mean that the way you took it.”

“How did you mean it?” she pressed him. 

“After we get married it’s our money, not mine. We’ll have a joint checking account and credit cards. You don’t need to have a job.”

She didn’t need to speak for him to feel her outrage.

Bruce held back a groan. “You’re thinking that I want you to give up your business, and that’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m uncomfortable with you working at a job you hate, at a job that puts you at risk. Look at what just happened with Jefferson.”

“That was nothing. He barely touched me. And you haven’t complained about my weight before!” Bella snapped. 

“I didn’t realize how thin you were.”

Her mouth flattened into a severe line. “I’ll think about it.”

“In the meantime, you’ll start on a high carbohydrate diet,” Bruce said.

“I’ve been at this weight for years. A low but stable weight is healthy.”

“Not this low.” He checked his watch. “I think we’ve both had enough excitement for one night. Why don’t we head home?”

Bella nodded. 

“I’ll go get the car,” Bruce said. “Wait here. I don’t want you to have to walk in those shoes.”

Bella stood in the alcove of bar entry way, waiting away from the noise of the party and out of sight should Jefferson come back. From the corner of her eye, an abrupt flash of white caught her attention. Her blood ran cold as a burst of adrenaline warmed her stomach. There was only one thing that could move that fast.

Bruce was in her mind in an instant. What’s wrong?

It’s a vampire. But it isn’t Victoria.

You can’t be sure, he argued.

Victoria wouldn’t have left me alive.

Bella moved towards the mouth of a dark alley, where she thought the vampire had gone.

Don’t you dare, Bruce growled.

Curiosity made her disregard his warning. Bella took another step into the alley and saw a burst of movement from the darkness. The vampire. It was there, hiding in the shadows.

Get out of there, Bruce demanded. You don’t know enough magic to protect yourself.

To be accurate, she hadn’t managed any magic yet. But still, some instinct made her move father into the shadows of the alley, straining to see into the darkness. The faint light from the corner street light reflected off the vampire’s eyes for a second before the figure shrank farther into the shadows.

Bruce’s voice sounded in her mind. Bella, I’m coming to get you.

“Who are you?” Bella asked the shadow. “I know you’re there.”

In a few seconds Bruce would be there. He’d transformed himself into mist and he was closing in fast. 

The shadow stepped into the light and Bella gasped.

“Edward.”

Her knees trembled, and she thought she might collapse. Blood roared in her ears as she stared in disbelief at his face. It couldn’t be. His smooth velvety voice broke through her denial.

“Hello, Bella.”

Her stomach clenched. It was him. He was real, standing in front of her. For a moment, she drank in the sight of him, unable to tear her eyes away. Edward’s face was reverent as he looked at her and she found she couldn’t move. Shock froze her in place as her mind rejected the reality she faced.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. Her voice came out hollow and thin.

“Victoria is here, she’s hunting you. You’re not safe,” Edward said.

She blinked up at him, surprised. “Why do you care?”

His features twisted as if he was in pain. “I’ve never stopped loving you, Bella.”

“You left me,” she whispered.

“I love you. We can talk about the details later. You need to come with me, so I can protect you.”

Edward moved towards her but was blocked when the air between the materialized into a man. Bruce stood in front of her like a bodyguard, towering over Edward.

“Bella’s protection has been seen to."

His tone sent chills down her spine. It was an octave lower than normal and sounded as if he’d spoken through gravel. For the first time, she saw the dark side of him that he hid so well, and she was afraid. Bella reached through their connection and it felt as if she’d run into a brick wall. 

“Who are you?” Edward demanded.

“Bruce Wayne, her fiancée.”

With that he reached behind his back and without taking his eyes off Edward, took Bella’s hand. Magic washed over her, and she felt herself dissolve with him, leaving Edward behind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They reappeared in the kitchen. 

Bella’s teeth chattered, and she realized she was freezing, despite the warm July temperature. As soon as she felt the chill, its intensity doubled. Shock, confusion, and disbelief blended into one overwhelming emotion. She shuddered, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. Except for Bruce’s hold on her, she would have collapsed. He swept her off her feet and carried her to the couch.

He lifted her onto his lap. “It’s okay.”

She felt herself shaking, and then appreciated that she wasn’t shaking, she was sobbing. Tears poured down her face as deep, wrenching sobs twisted her stomach. There was no holding back as her emotions took over and she cried until her throat burned and her head ached. Slowly the hysterical cries gave way to quieter whimpers as she gasped for breath, trying to get ahold of herself. 

Bella curled into Bruce’s chest savoring his warmth. She couldn’t get close enough to him. In her mind, she felt his presence and her arms tightened around him. Relief swept over her at the intimate feeling of him in her thoughts. The wall he’d put between them in the alley had frightened her. She wondered if he’d put it there on purpose. 

“I did.”

Betrayal tightened her chest. “Why?” 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know if I could handle your emotions when you saw him again.”

Bella buried her face in his chest, unable to stop trembling. This wasn’t how she’d imagined a reunion with Edward would go. Her mind had always supplied a vision of her dropping to her knees and begging him to take her back. Bruce, still a shadow in her mind, made a rough sound of discontent as the image filtered through her thoughts. 

“He doesn’t deserve you.”

Nausea cramped her stomach as she realized what was missing. The burning hole in her chest that Edward had left behind wasn’t throbbing with pain. There was nothing. How could this be? Edward had once been the center of her world. She had loved him more than she’d loved her own life. She would have done anything for him. This wasn’t right.  
Bruce held her. His hands ran over her back and into her hair as he murmured soft words to her. His presence in her mind was as much a reassurance as his arms around her. She could feel his emotions, calm and soothing, pushing into her head. 

“It’s okay,” he said.

He destroyed me, Bella thought, and she shuddered as another sob tore through her. Her arms clenched around Bruce’s neck as the thought crossed her mind. 

“Shhh….” He murmured into her hair. “Don’t think things like that.”

It was incomprehensible to feel nothing for Edward after she had loved him so much.

She could remember lying in bed, feeling the hole Edward had punched in her chest burning, her pulse pounding in her veins while her teeth chattered like they were now, and terror wracked her body. She’d believed Victoria would come for her at any time, had prepared herself to expect the killing blow at any moment. And she’d thought it a worthy sacrifice to make for the few months she’d gotten to spend with Edward. 

“I wish I’d have found you sooner,” Bruce vowed, his voice raw. “I don’t know how you survived the fear, let alone evaded Victoria.” 

She turned her face up to look at him and met his concerned eyes. “I’ll be okay.” 

“You took it better than I thought you might.” 

“What did you expect?”

“He still loves you, Bella. The day in the forest he lied. I was worried you would still go back to him, despite the pain he’s caused you.”

She couldn’t deny the accuracy of what he’d said. There was a part of her that still wanted Edward. It begged her to take him up on his offer. If he’d come back sooner, after Charlie had died, she had no doubt she’d have taken him back in an instant. But Jake’s death had broken her; it had ruined the person she’d once been. Leaving the reservation to face Victoria had marked a transformation for her. The part of her begging to go to Edward was a distant remnant from the Bella Swan of five years ago – a weaker person than she was now.

Because now she belonged to Bruce. 

The love she’d felt for him was different in every way from how she’d loved Edward. He had been her entire world. She’d lived for him, worshiped him. With Bruce, she trusted him. There was a steadfast devotion that connected them as much as the magical bond in their minds and she trusted that loyalty. She’d seen it in his mind too. With that trust, the cracks and bruises covering her heart had been filled over, and a burden of pain had lifted. She trusted Bruce because he accepted her as what she was. Flawed. Broken. Scarred. And that acceptance, that unconditional love, the deep bond they’d formed, made her stronger. 

Bruce pressed his face against her hair and his arms clenched around her. A tremor ran through him and he mumbled something indistinct. 

What was that? Bella asked when she found that she couldn’t read his mind. 

“I said thank God,” Bruce said. “I was terrified that you’d go back to him. I would have put a spell on your mind to keep you with me if you’d tried to leave me. I would have made you stay.”

“I understand.”

“Do you? After I was changed I felt like a monster. I prided myself on being one of the good guys and being transformed into the evilest thing I’d ever seen shattered me. You saved me. There will never be anything I can do to repay what you did for me.”

“Just love me,” Bella said, sitting up to straddle him. Her arms went around his neck and he pressed his face into her chest, breathing shallowly. In the aftermath of his emotions he felt brittle and raw. Bella’s hands combed through his hair, expertly massaging the tension from his scalp. 

“I love you,” she repeated, needing for him to hear it. 

“I know,” Bruce said. 

“Forgive me,” she murmured to him softly. He felt the guilt she carried for still loving Edward, however faintly, swell inside of her.

“You shared your heart with him and he didn’t care for it properly. I can assure you that I won’t make the same mistake.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Bella said. He smiled, looking more relaxed than he had before. 

“There is one other thing,” Bruce said after a long moment. 

“What?”

“You disobeyed me. I told you not to go into that alley and what did you do? You went, despite my warnings.”

“I’m sorry. I was sure it wasn’t Victoria.”

“Hmmm.” Bruce’s response was noncommittal, but the expression on his face was intent. She looked into his mind and once again found a barrier there. They were still closely connected and she could feel him in her mind, but again, his thoughts were a mystery to her. 

“Bruce….”

“You didn’t listen to me,” he said. “Do you know what that means?”

His voice was low and wicked, sending a thrill down her spine. The expression in his eyes, dark and intent, made her pause. She felt like she was looking at a hungry tiger. Her throat went dry. 

“You’ve been a very bad girl,” he growled, his hands coming down to shackle her wrists. Lust hit her hard, curling in her belly and she couldn’t look away from him. “Do you know what happens to bad girls who don’t listen to their fiancés?”

She shook her head. 

“They get spanked.”


	19. Punishment

Chapter Nineteen: Punishment

“Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you're in a fight.” - Michael Jordan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sexual tension charged the air between them as liquid pooled in her belly at his words. He wouldn’t. Bruce’s mouth curved into a half smirk as he watched her pupils darken and the pulse in her throat speed up. He moved so fast she didn’t have time to react. Bella found herself sprawled on her back as his body came down on top of her and he kissed her hard, ravishing her with his tongue. Bella wrapped her legs around his waist and arched against him in invitation. Blood throbbed in her veins like a heartbeat as the tension in her stomach coiled tighter with every stroke of his tongue. Her hands grasped the lapels of his jacket to pull him closer.

Bruce drew back. “Tell me if you have any doubts now.”

He was asking her permission. Bella touched his mind and saw he was worried about pushing her into a situation she was too inexperienced to handle. 

“I’ll only get experience if you teach me,” she said.

His eyes darkened with desire.

He shifted to the middle seat of the couch and ordered, “Bend over my lap.”

Her stomach quivered with a curious mix of anticipation and fear as she did as he asked. The fear was more of the unknown than of Bruce, and it heightened her arousal. Heat gathered between her thighs and she could feel dampness soaking through her panties. An image was pushed into her mind through their connection and she saw herself through his eyes, draped over his lap like a sacrifice.

“Lift your skirt." 

She grasped the hem and pulled it up to her waist.

His calloused hand stroked over the exposed flesh like he was petting a cat. 

Bella shivered, her heart pounded with anticipation as he ran his hands over her backside, teasing her by making her wait. He caught the band of her panties and he jerked them down to her knees in a rough motion that made her gasp. 

“So pretty,” he praised as he ran his fingertips over her. She groaned, arching her back in invitation. 

“I can’t wait to turn your skin pink,” he murmured. “And you’re so pale it won’t take much.”

Her clit thrummed in response to his words. 

“Get on with it,” she hissed.

He laughed.

“Please,” Bella whimpered.

His hand stroked the back of her thighs, taunting her by sliding his hand towards her center, dipping into her folds before veering away.

Bruce smacked her backside, hard. The pop resounded in her ears like an echo. Bella gasped as pain laced through her and shrank away from the discomfort. He didn’t allow her to recover but delivered several quick hard blows, alternating sides without any pattern. She couldn’t predict where the impact was going to come. The pain shocked her, and each blow burned more than the last. On the fifth smack of his palm, she cried out as he connected with an area that was already battered.

“Bruce!”

“Quiet. You put yourself in danger. We’d agreed about that, hadn’t we? You broke your promise.”

Bella whimpered when the next slap hurt even more.

He growled. “Didn’t you?”

“Yes, yes!” she agreed.

Fight or flight response took over and she tried to squirm out of his lap. His forearm landed across her back, pinning her in place.

Her agreement didn’t earn her mercy, but retaliation.

Before he’d held back, not letting her feel his real strength. Each blow hurt more than the last and her backside was on fire. Bella grasped the couch cushion for purchase and   
shrieked in pain. This hurt, worse than she’d imagined. Each slap made pain bite through her, she thrashed in agony and tears gathered in her eyes. Her clit throbbed, her stomach muscles quivered, and she was wetter than she’d ever been. She loved it.

Her endorphins kicked in as his torment continued and then pain blended with pleasure in a confusing heady rush of sensation. Her toes curled, and she arched, rising to greet each swat of his hand as her nipples tightened into hard points and her channel clenched with unfulfilled need. The fierce blows slowed and softened until he was stroking her. Bella whimpered and pressed herself into his hand. She couldn’t say what she wanted but he knew. He turned her over and hauled into his chest and hugged her tight. 

“Did you learn your lesson,” he crooned. His hand slid to the nape of her neck and he rubbed his fingers in gentle circles. 

Bella trembled. “Yes.”

He kissed her forehead and then his hands began to roam. Bruce skimmed over her breasts and felt the stiff peaks through the fabric. He paused. “No bra?”

“The dress doesn’t need one.”

His hand slipped inside the bodice, pinching and stroking her sensitized nipples. Bella sighed and relaxed into the pleasant sensations. Bruce banded an arm around her waist and she leaned back against it. He moved from her breasts to find his way under her dress. His callused hand glided up her inner thighs and pushed them apart. When he found the slickness coating her folds, he hissed. 

“Holy crap, Bella.”

She shivered. “I liked it.”

“You’re drenched,” he said with amazement, as if he couldn’t believe the response he’d drawn from her.

He leaned down and captured her mouth in a fierce kiss that stole her breath. His fingers pushed aside her folds to find her clit, which he circled with his thumb making her mewl against his lips in pleasure. Her body was primed from her spanking and she wanted him. He must have heard her thoughts or felt the urgency in her emotions, because he picked up the pace, swirling his thumb harder on the tight button. She panted as he teased her, varying his speed, keeping her right on the edge of ecstasy. His fingers slipped inside of her, a new stimulation that made her back bow as she thrust her hips against his hand.

“Come for me,” Bruce demanded.

She did, a shrill cry breaking free as she spasmed around his thick fingers. He curled the digits inside of her pressing up on some deep part of her that made her hips jerk forward.   
She clutched at his wrist and twisted away from the agonizing pleasure, while at the same time she was desperate for more. 

He took the decision from her when he pinned her hips in place and forced her legs to remain open by shifting his elbow between her thighs. His fingers worked inside of her rough and hard, dragging out her climax. Pleasure exploded through her every nerve and her entire body trembled. She rocked against him, riding the powerful waves of her orgasm for what felt like an eternity. When it was over she slumped into Bruce’s shoulder and shut her eyes. Breath came in short gasps as she struggled to come down from the high of her climax. Bruce kissed the curve of her neck, rubbed her back and arms in long strokes as he waited for her breathing to return to normal.

When she settled down, Bella rose from his lap to stand in front of him.

“Take me to bed,” she said. 

He couldn’t move for a moment, struck by the image she made with her dress undone, the bodice pushed down to her waist to reveal her breasts and the skirt twisted up around her hips. The gleam of juices on her thighs, the bee stung look of her mouth and rumpled hair was clear evidence of what they’d just done. She blushed under his stare as her cheeks turned pink. His heart flipped over in his chest as love and desire merged in an overwhelming flood of emotion. 

The beautiful way she’d responded to his commands danced in his mind. 

He reached into her mind. How far do you want to take this? he asked. 

Her relative innocence in the bedroom stopped him from pushing her, but he also wanted to explore this new submissive side of her. Bella licked her lips and looked up at him with a trust that humbled him. Her hands went to his shoulders and she stood on her toes, pulling him down for a kiss. Their mouths melted together softly, and tenderness swept over him. 

Bruce’s voice sounded in her head, firm and serious. Remember that stop always means stop. I’ll be in your mind, with you at every turn. If you’re scared or overwhelmed, I’ll know. All you have to do is say the word or think it.

I know, Bella said. She opened her mind to him and let him see the complete confidence she had in his care.

“Get rid of your dress,” he dictated. Bella did as he asked, and he followed suit, stripping out of his tie, shirt, jacket, pants and boxers in record time.

Bruce pushed her down on the bed and crawled on top of her. Bella was pinned under his larger frame. His mouth pressed against hers before he began to kiss a path down her jaw, her throat and chest. His tongue soon found the beaded peak of her nipple and he flicked his tongue over it. Bella shivered. He fastened his lips over the bud and sucked it deeply, scraping it with his teeth before soothing the hurt with his tongue. Its twin received the same treatment and she withered and moaned under him, only to have her urgency ignored. When he finally moved south, she tensed. Her thighs quivered in anticipation and she felt him smile against her hip as he deviated from his track to nip at the sensitive skin of her hip. Was the hip an erogenous zone? As tightly as she was strung it didn’t matter. All she could process was pleasure. When Bruce’s big hands pushed her thighs apart to open her up and she whimpered, feeling helpless against the torrent she knew he was about to unleash.

“Relax,” Bruce crooned.

He kissed her inner thigh before circling his finger around her clit in a gentle motion. His finger slipped inside of her wet channel. Then he twisted his fingers, searching until he’d found the perfect angle to make her hips roll up to great each stroke. He bent his head and rubbed his tongue over her clit. Bella cried out, shocked by the intensity of the pleasure.

“Bruce!” 

Her hips jerked in his grasp as he increased his tempo. Each flick of his tongue and curl of his fingers drove her higher. He kept up the relentless pace until she screamed. Bruce growled in delight and sucked her clit harder.

“Oh!” Bella gasped and shuddered as a wave of intense pleasure made her convulse.

He lashed her with his tongue, relentless in his determination to see her fly apart. She squirmed desperately under him. Heat gathered in her belly, too powerful for her to handle.

“Bruce, Bruce, Bruce!” Bella sobbed. She chanted his name like a litany as she thrashed and fought against the waves of white hot pleasure. It was too much, but they kept coming, cresting faster and faster.

Let go, his voice sounded in her head.

Her orgasm came hard, hitting her with the force of a freight train. Black edged her vision as her body bucked against him. Still it wasn’t enough for Bruce and he curled his fingers deeper, pressing roughly against that sensitive spot on her front wall, making her scream. Bella was drowning in the sensations, unable to do anything but ride them out as his tongue and fingers kept her body writhing. She thought her heart was going to explode as its tempo beat in triple time. Her muscles trembled under the force of her orgasm and she felt her toes curling and her legs stiffening as another surge of ecstasy went through her.

“Bruce,” she screamed, fisting her hands in the material of the comforter as her hips gyrated uncontrollably.

He didn’t show her any mercy but dragged out her orgasm and then threw her into a second one when it faded. She felt like she was going to die from pleasure.

When he finally pulled back, she was limp. Her body felt numb and her heartbeat pounded in her head, so loud she couldn’t hear anything else. Aftershocks so intense they were almost as strong as an orgasm rolled through her. Bruce knelt between her thighs looking immensely pleased. Her juices glistened on his lips. When she realized what the sheen was, her sex clenched.

He pulled her underneath him and she didn’t bother trying to move. Instead she let him position her because her body was so depleted she wasn’t sure she could move if she tired. Bruce dragged his thick erection over her clit, making her whimper. He situated himself at her entrance, and then sank into her. Their eyes met, and Bella reveled in the hot wildness reflected in his gaze. She lifted her hips, urging him on. His nostrils flared at whatever he saw in her face and he thrust harder, impaling her. She moaned at the sensation of being filled. Her inner walls stretched and burned as her body objected to the invasion. Bella cried out and clutched at his shoulders, digging her nails into his skin as she struggled to accommodate him. 

“Relax,” Bruce said. 

Her channel pulsated around him. He could feel the flutter of her inner muscles as aftershocks from the overload of pleasure he’d given her hindered his penetration.  
She tried but it was difficult. Her muscles clenched around him, seizing too hard and fast for him to move without hurting her. Bruce kissed her, slow and leisurely, stroking her until she calmed. He rocked his hips, sliding deeper into her channel. Within a few thrusts he’d managed to sheath himself entirely. Bella moaned. She wrapped her legs around his hips to draw him deeper. Bruce rolled his hips in a motion that made her mewl. He did it again.

“Oh!” Bella cried out. She rocked forward, seeking more.

She keened with pleasure as his thumb found her clit and began to strum it in time with his thrusts. The stimulation of his fingers and the penetration of his thick shaft at the same time was too much. Bella trembled and felt her body stiffen and knew what was coming. Air rushed out of her lungs and she quivered on the peak of ecstasy, about to tumble over the pinnacle. 

“Come for me,” Bruce snarled.

His order threw her over the edge. Her body bucked, and her world fragmented. All of a sudden, she was in the grip of an overwhelming climax that had her thrashing, crying out and clawing at Bruce’s shoulders, needing something to anchor her. He kept at her clit with his thumb as she withered under him mindless and frantic, lost to anything but the sensations racing through her body. She felt her muscles undulating wildly around his thickness and sobbed as the last of her orgasm tore through her. Bella collapsed, breathless and trembling in the aftermath.

Bruce wasn’t finished with her. His cock was still ridged and thick inside of her. He pulled her arms up and pinned them over her head with an unyielding grip on her wrists. She swallowed hard, but her reaction was clear when she spasmed around him. Bruce groaned and pulled out, almost leaving her body before he shoved back into her with a smooth thrust that filled her to the hilt. 

She could see the moment he lost control. He began to ravage her with a rough, uncontrolled tempo. Bella was helpless, pinned under his hands and his weight, unable to do anything but absorb the scorching pleasure he unleashed in her. Her name fell from his lips as he shuddered over her, riding her harder as his climax approached. She spasmed hard around him, crying out as he hammered her into the mattress with a vicious rhythm that made her body quake.

“Bella,” he groaned.

He pounded into her one final time and then he shuddered and jerked. Seed filled her, and its wetness triggered another, smaller orgasm, a quivering delightful feeling that ran up and down her body in delicious waves. Bruce collapsed on top of her, his iron grip on her wrists easing. With the last of his strength he shoved himself off her, so she wouldn’t be crushed under him. Bella moaned as he slipped out of her and the blushed when Bruce chuckled. She sank into his arms and laid her head on his shoulder to enjoy the peaceful afterglow. 

Their combined fluids coated her thighs and after a few moments, Bruce got up and retrieved a damp cloth from the kitchen to clean her up. She couldn’t help but blush again as her shyness protested the intimacy of this action, something she didn’t think would ever go away. Bruce tossed the cloth on the nightstand and slid into bed beside her. Bella curled against him and sighed with contentment. Her eyelids sank shut and she could feel the pull of sleep drawing her under.

Bruce stiffened beside her. “Damn it!”

His arm tightened around her shoulders and her eyes flew open. 

“What is it?”

“Edward’s at the gate. The barrier I did to protect us from Victoria stops him from coming any father.” 

Bella sat up. “What does he want?”

He looked down at her, his face incredulous. “Really?”

“Oh.”

He wanted to talk to her.

“No,” Bruce interjected when he picked up her thought. “He wants you, plain and simple.”

Horror made her heart skip a beat. This was the last thing she wanted, to be fought over like a toy. Bruce was a dangerous man in his own right, but so was Edward.  
Bruce made a move to get up. 

“No!” 

Bella threw herself on top of him and pinned him down, her hands on his shoulders, her body sprawled over him. She could feel his surprise at the fervor in her voice and the panic that washed over her.

“Don’t go out there!”

“Bella, he needs closure.”

“Okay. I’m the one who can give it to him. Let me go.”

His eyes flashed. When he spoke, his voice was hard. “You’re not getting within a mile of any vampire, especially Edward Cullen.”

“What if he tries to kill you?”

The scene from Romeo and Juliet where Romeo killed Paris played out like a premonition in her mind.

Bruce softened. “Don’t worry about me, honey. I can handle him.”

He untangled himself from her grip and settled her back in the bed where he pulled the covers up over her shoulder and kissed her forehead. 

“Get some sleep. I’ll be back before you know it.”


	20. Fanning the Fire

Chapter Twenty: Fanning the Fire

“You just can't beat the person who never gives up.” -Babe Ruth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Edward paced the width of the driveway in front of the iron gate. 

Bruce used magic to blend into the shadows undetected and watch as Edward stalked to one stone column, spun around, and retraced his steps. His eyes remained fastened on the gate, a barrier between him and Bella that he couldn’t cross. The vampire paused, glanced around and snarled. 

“I can smell you, I know you’re here,” Edward growled at an empty space, yards from where Bruce stood.

He paced away, turning his back to Bruce, who stepped out of the shadows. With magic, he masked the noise of his footsteps and blocked his scent, rendering the vampire blind to his presence. When Edward turned to pace back, he nearly walked into Bruce’s chest. He sprung back several feet and hissed in surprise. 

Brown eyes met golden. The vampire’s brow crinkled in confusion. “What are you?”

“A warlock.”

Edward scowled, and Bruce caught the flicker of disbelief in the boy’s eyes. He lifted his hand and drew a ball of green fire in his palm as evidence. He let Edward look for a long minute and then extinguished it. Bruce’s face was smooth of all expression as he regarded the other man.

“Why are you here, Mr. Cullen?”

“I need to see Bella.”

“She’s asleep.”

“I’ll wait.”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed. “I won’t allow her within a hundred feet of you.”

“Allow?” Edward said with disbelief.

“Yes. Allow.”

“I know how Bella responds to orders.”

“Perhaps she’s more accommodating of her fiancé than she was of a high school boyfriend.”

Edward’s lip curled, and Bruce relented. 

“I didn’t ask if she wanted to see you or not. But when you left Victoria hunted her and she suffered, and I can’t forgive that, even if she can.”

The boy’s eyes widened in horror that quickly transformed into devastation as he apprehended the grief he’d bestowed on Bella. His expression was like a hot poker had been shoved through his chest.

Edward staggered back a step. “No,” he whispered.

Rage flashed in his eyes. Then he moved, so fast he was a blur, and lunged for Bruce’s throat.

With a wave of his hand Bruce solidified the air in front of himself and let Edward slam against the barrier. Edward snarled ferociously and fought to get around the blockade. There was a part of him that itched for the catharsis of a fight with this walking corpse. He wanted to extract a pound of flesh for Bella, an atonement for what the boy had done to his mate. Whether the infliction of her misery had been intentional or not was irrelevant. The mere fact that she’d suffered because of him was an atrocity. But she wouldn’t want him fighting with Edward.

“Calm down,” Bruce said.

Edward snarled and fought harder.

“This isn’t going to change what’s happened!”

He could see the fight drain out of Edward’s eye as the futility of his actions sank in. The vampire collapsed, slumping against the barrier. 

“What happened to her?” he asked.

Bruce shrugged. “It isn’t my story to tell.” 

How much or how little Bella wanted to tell Edward about her life was up to her. 

“I need to talk to her,” Edward pleaded. 

“I’ll consider it.” He turned away and transformed himself into vapor.

Bruce didn’t leave immediately. Instead he masked his scent, so Edward wouldn’t know he was there and watched. The boy fell to his knees, devastation written on his face. His pain was like its own presence, cruel and bitter in the emptiness of the night. Bruce couldn’t help but wonder if this was how Bella had looked after she’d been abandoned. The thought was unbearable. Edward lifted his head and looked up at the gates of Wayne Manor. He set his jaw and determination flashed in his eyes. 

“Bella,” he said, the word a prayer and a resolution.

A chill raced down Bruce’s spine. The one word from Edward Cullen’s mouth was like a body blow. It was a declaration of war. His worst fears had been realized. In speaking two syllables, the vampire had turned breathed life into Bruce’s nightmare. As he saw determination sparkle in Edward’s eyes, an atavistic warning triggered inside of him. This man was going to fight for his mate. And he might win.

Bruce traveled home in vapor form. Once he solidified himself he checked on Bella and found her asleep. Would she be distressed if she knew how much pain her former boyfriend was in? Yes, Bruce decided. She would be. The man had once been the center of her world and emotions like that didn’t just die out in a year, or even five. He cast a spell over the bed to block out noise and walked around the fireplace wall to the living room.

Despite the late hour Judah answered his phone on the second ring.

Bruce got right to the point. “I need to take Victoria out. As soon as possible.”

“What brought this on?”

“Edward Cullen is in Gotham. He’s hunting her.”

“Ah.” Judah’s mummer held a wealth of knowledge that made Bruce’s teeth grind together. 

“Look-”

“I get it. You don’t want him to rescue Bella, you want to do it yourself. She’s your mate.”

“It’s my responsibility to protect her. I’ve been slacking,” Bruce said. “I don’t even know where to start looking for Victoria.”

“Understandable, given that you just bonded with your mate. Before we get into anything I need you to be honest with me Bruce. How’s your magic? Is it stable?”

“There was a rush of power for a few days after we first bonded, but it seems to have faded. I’m back to normal. Or at least what passes for normal these days. This time Victoria doesn’t stand a chance.”

“The Volturi has been searching the club district. They have their tracker with them, Demetri and I’m certain he’s close to finding Victoria.”

“Are you surveilling them now?”

“Yes. It’s almost dawn, so they’re heading back to the hotel. Our best bet to find the vampires before the Cullens is to work with the Volturi. Are you comfortable with that?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll reach out to their leader,” Judah said. “See you tomorrow.” 

Bruce hung up the phone, stripped out of his clothes and slid into bed beside Bella. She turned to him, seeking his warmth even in sleep. He looked down at her peaceful face and confessed to himself that there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to keep Bella by his side. Whatever happened tomorrow, whatever he ended up doing, he hoped she would be able to forgive him.

The next morning, he woke to sunlight on his face. Moments later Bella stirred, yawned and cuddled against his side. 

Her eyes remained closed, but she asked, “What time is it?” 

“Just past nine.”

Bella made a noise of displeasure and wrinkled her nose. “What did Edward say last night?”

“He’s hunting Victoria and he wants to talk to you.”

At that her eyes opened, and she sat up, then blearily rubbed her face. “Why?”

Bruce shrugged. “He’s a man in love. He wants to protect you.” 

She sighed heavily. Then she crawled on top of him to lay on his chest. Her head found its pillow on his shoulder and her legs tangled with his. He laced his arms around her and waited.

“He left me. I thought he was out of my life for good. Now I can’t think of anything to say to him.” 

“Don’t worry. Until you can protect yourself, I don’t want you near him. Or any vampire.”

He’d expected an objection, but Bella shrugged. “Okay. Did he drop a hint of what he wanted to discuss?”

“Judging by his demeanor, I’d say he’s planning to beg your forgiveness.” 

“What? Why would he want to do that?”

“I mentioned Victoria had been hunting you and he didn’t take it well.” 

Her lips pressed together, worried. “How much did you tell him?”

“That’s the extent. If he wants to know more, he’ll have to hear it from you.”

She exhaled. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” 

Bruce left the bed before she did, but a few minutes later Bella’s footsteps sounded on the kitchen tile. When he turned around he saw her wearing his button down from last night and smiled.

“What?” she asked.

“Hmmm. Have you heard that a man seeing a woman wearing his shirt is like a King seeing his flag flying over his kingdom?’

She shot him a dirty look that made him laugh. He reached for her and she allowed him to draw her into his arms. Her cheek pressed to his bare chest, sending a thrill of pleasure straight to his heart as she snuggled close. His hands wandered down her back to the pert curve of her bottom and she flinched when he squeezed. 

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just a little sore there.”

Last night came flooding back and he reached down to pull up the shirt.

“Bruce,” Bella protested, one hand going to the hem to stop him.

“Let me see,” he insisted. She groaned and buried her face in the hollow of his shoulder. He could imagine the shade of red she’d turned. He pulled aside her panties and saw that her backside was a soft rosy color where he’d spanked her the night before. He ran his hand over it and felt her shiver. 

“Sensitive?”

Against his shoulder, she nodded. 

“But not painful?”

“No. Just a little sore to the touch.”

The perimeter alarm beeped, and Bruce sensed Judah cross over the protection spell onto the estate. 

“Judah just arrived. You might want to get dressed.”

Bella left for the basement level and two minutes later the front door opened. Judah and Alfred strode inside.

His butler was cheerful. “Good morning!”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed. “You know,” he accused. 

“About the fellow at the gate? Yes, he seems quite insistent to see Miss Swan.”

“He’s still there?”

“Yes,” Judah said. “Thick cloud cover this morning. It won’t clear up until afternoon.”

“Oh, come on,” Alfred prodded. “Aren’t you up for a little healthy competition Master Wayne?”

Bruce’s face darkened as irritation took root.

His misfortune appeared to be the source of much amusement. He’d bet the Bugatti they’d had a laugh about this at his expense on their way in. Alfred shooed Bruce out of the kitchen where he hadn’t accomplished much more to prepare breakfast than taking the eggs out of the refrigerator. Judah and Bruce sat at the bar watching as Alfred cracked eggs into a mixing bowl.

“Have you talked to Bella about her magic?” Judah asked. 

“No. She hasn’t been able to do anything yet,” he admitted. 

“It takes time.”

“How long?” Alfred asked. 

“Magic moves differently in different people. It took Alexandria two months to do even the simplest of spells.” 

Bruce frowned. “Two months? She’s being threatened now.”

“Speaking of that, the Volturi said they’d get back to me by four.”

“You spoke to them?”

“I called Jane.”

Alfred raised an eyebrow. “Vampires have cell phones?”

“What is it with you? Vampires are living in the twenty first century just like the rest of us.” 

“Personally, I’m not over the fact that they don’t sleep in coffins,” Alfred said. 

“I’ll work with Bella this afternoon,” Judah told Bruce. “I might be able to jump start her magic.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Six hours later Bella was tired and frustrated. 

“This isn’t working.”

“It will come,” Judah assured her. 

Bella glanced over her shoulder at the computer where Bruce and Alfred worked. When she saw they were absorbed in their task she leaned towards Judah and lowered her voice. 

“What if it didn’t work?”

Judah’s brow crinkled. “What do you mean?”

“The bonding. What if it didn’t take?”

“Miss Swan, it worked. I can see the difference in both of you. You can hear his thoughts and feel his emotions, can’t you?”

“Yes. His emotions are clear, but his thoughts are another story. It’s like they’re there, but at the same time not. They’re muffled and hard to grasp. When I can grasp them, it feels like listening to an audio going five times fast. Is that normal?”

“Reading minds is difficult. And some people, like Bruce, are harder to read than others. People as intelligent as Wayne tend to have brains that run a mile a minute. Beside he’s multilingual which exacerbates the problem. You’ll become more attuned to his mind with time. As for your magic, I think it’s too soon. Your bond needs more time to develop before magic can flow through it.” 

“But Victoria is after me now!”

“Bruce is taking care of everything.”

Guilt washed over her. 

Suddenly, the heat of Bruce’s body pressed against her back. His arms wrapped around her from behind, enveloping her in warmth.

His lips pressed against the shell of her ear. “Stop.”

“I can’t help it. You’re risking your life for me.”

“I’ve risked my life a lot, honey.”

Her heart clenched. “I try not to think about that.”

“But this is the first time I’ll be risking it for someone I love.”

Bella turned in his arms to look up at him. “I can’t not worry.” 

“I’m a warlock. Protecting people is what we do.”

“Like werewolves.”

“I’m not going to end up like Jacob.”

“He didn’t think Victoria would get to him either. Look what happened.”

“I’m not a wolf. I’m inhumanly strong, just like she is. I can lift the Batmobile over my head if you’d like me to prove it.”

“I’m sure you can. But you can die, can’t you?”

“The bond combined our souls. If I die, I’ll take you with me. Do you think I would let that happen?”

“I hadn’t thought of it like that.”

He bent down and cupped her jaw and kissed her. “It’s how I think of it. I’m more cautious now, compared to when I was human.”

Bella shuddered.

“I’ll try to help you read my mind. You’re right. It isn’t fair for me to be able to read your mind and not vice versa. I promise not to block you again unless it’s necessary.”

“Why would it be necessary?” 

“I’m not hiding things. But if I was in pain I’d block you from feeling it through our connection. And don’t even try digging through my mind to find out what I bought you for your birthday.”

Bella frowned. “No gifts.”

“Why?”

“I don’t have anything to give you in return.”

“You gave me my life back.”

She didn’t get the chance to reply to that when Judah yelled, “Bruce! Phone for you!” across the room.

“Tell them to go away!” Bruce shouted. 

“It’s Jane. She wants to talk to you, in person. Tonight.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce stood in the alley behind the Four Seasons hotel as the sun went down. In front of him stood a delicate blonde woman with scarlet eyes. The red orbs gleamed up at him, their color an uncanny match for Victoria’s. She was so petite that even standing a few feet away from him, she had to tilt her head back to make eye contact. Her expression was curious.

“I haven’t seen a warlock in three centuries,” Jane said, her voice childlike. 

“Here I am.”

She smiled. “You’ve been tracking Victoria. Did you know that Edward Cullen is doing so as well?” The blood colored eyes sparkled with mischief. “Would you know anything about his interest?”

Bruce ignored the probing question, forcing her to ask outright. 

He had to give her credit for a near perfect poker face. When irritation flickered across Jane’s features it passed so quickly he almost missed it. “Tell me, what is your interest in her?” 

“She’s threatening my mate. I’m going to kill her," Bruce said.

Jane cocked her head to the side. “Interesting. I’ve heard warlocks are terrifying when their mates are threatened.” 

Her tone implied his mind demeanor was a disappointment to her.

Bruce’s shoulders tensed. “My mate is well protected but even so, I’d like to get back to her. My offer is simple. Judah said your tracker needs to touch the mind of someone who’s met Victoria for his gift to work. Since I’m the only living person in Gotham who fits that bill, working together would solve both our problems.”

“You’d let down your mental shields for Demetri?” Jane asked.

“To protect my mate, yes.”

She considered his offer for a long moment. Then she nodded. “I guess this makes us partners.”


	21. Half Justice

Chapter Twenty-One: Half Justice

“The body of a dead enemy always smells sweet.” - Titus Flavius Vespasian

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Counter intelligence was the secret to survival.

Jane had lived by that motto for more than a millennium and it had kept her alive dozens of times. Know thy enemy – it was the wisest advice ever written. The Cullen clan had been her number one enemy for decades. Aro didn’t see it that way, blinded by his fondness for Carlisle, but Jane had seen a storm brewing on the horizon. A mind reader, a seer, and an ex-soldier of the Southern Wars, who had powerful gifts of his own, all in the same clan was a recipe for disaster. It was a formula for rebellion and one the Volturi was not prepared to handle. 

The window to nip them in the bud was closing fast. Aware of this, Jane had reached out to the Denali clan several years ago. Irina, the youngest of the sisters, had been easy to turn against them. From Irina, Jane knew that at some point five years ago, Edward had mated a human girl. Irina’s mate, Laurent, had provided an explanation of the events that had led to him abandoning the girl. It seemed that Victoria and James, his coven mates, had tried to make a meal of the girl. Edward had killed James to protect her and then the Cullens had left Forks, without Edward's mate. A week later, Laurent was dead. An errand for Victoria had gone wrong and Jane’s evidence against the Cullens was gone with him. No witnesses, no leads to the girl’s identity and nothing to bring to Aro but baseless suspicion. 

In one of her last conversations with Laurent, he’d told her that Victoria had vowed revenge on Edward. A mate for a mate, was how he’d put it. Based on that information, Jane had considered the girl dead. After all, what human could escape a vampire?

But after Edward’s demeanor this morning, she wondered if the mate was dead or not. He’d acted desperate as if he was in a race against time to save someone from Victoria. Who else would be at stake other than his mate? The call from Judah Harel had cinched everything together and her meeting with Bruce tied it up with a bow. The girl that Judah was trying to save was the same one Edward was trying to save. The mate Edward had abandoned was alive and she was now Bruce Wayne’s mate. Jane didn’t have any concrete evidence, but her gut was screaming at her, and she trusted her gut.

This could be used to her advantage if she could back him into a corner, Jane mused. As long as she was careful, their seer wouldn’t recognize the trap until it had closed around them. When it was over, there would be no other path than for the surviving Cullens to join the Volturi Guard. 

Footsteps echoed behind her and she didn’t need to turn around to identify the newcomer.

“How’d it go?” Demetri asked.

“We’re moving in tonight.”

“The warlock agreed to work with us? I thought they were more…. solitary.”

“This one is desperate,” Jane said, unable to repress a smile. Bruce Wayne was desperate, but not as much as Edward Cullen was about to be.

Demetri regarded her with apathy. He wasn’t curious in the slightest as to her thoughts, having long ago become accustom to the inscrutable workings of Jane’s mind.

They returned to their suite on the tenth floor and waited for nightfall. Jane stood sentry by the window, looking out at the sunlit city. Her mind ran a mile a minute while she planned and plotted and imagined how pleased Aro would be. Even as her hopes rose, Jane cautioned herself against impugning the reputation of the Volturi. Was it possible to blame one person’s sin on an entire coven? One with as many friends as the Cullens?

Jane ruminated on her odds of success as the hours passed until dusk stole over the city. Just as the last of the light had begun to fade, a hard knock sounded on the suite door. Felix looked to Jane for permission and then went to open the door. Bruce Wayne didn’t wait for an invitation. He brushed past Felix and strolled to the center of the room where he stopped and surveyed the crowd. 

Demetri was sprawled over the couch. He had the remote and was flipping through the TV channels as fast as he could. Beside him Alec sat staring into thin air. Felix stood behind Bruce, looking ruffled. Jane held back a smile. Being ignored was a new experience for the executioner, who was used to instilling fear in vampires and humans alike. Felix shifted, planted his feet and crossed his arms. He stood in front of the door, blocking the exit. 

Bruce looked back over his shoulder at Felix. Brown eyes met the cold ruby stare of one of the most fearsome members of the Volturi guard and the corners of Bruce’s mouth curled into a smirk. His expression read, it’s not me trapped in here with you, it’s you trapped in here with me.

“Let’s get this over with,” Bruce said.

Jane nodded. “Let’s. Demetri?”

The tracker switched off the TV and stood to face the warlock. 

“Let down your mental shields and give me your hand,” Demetri said.

Jane watched, fascinated, as the warlock shut his eyes. The air around him seemed to glow with pale blue light as he undid his shields. Bruce appeared to be almost back lit as he took down the barriers. Then the light vanished in the blink of an eye. Bruce opened his eyes and extended his hand to Demetri. The Greek clasped the warlock’s hand between both of his for a long moment as he sought out the essence of Victoria’s mind. 

“Got it.” Like a bloodhound scenting a fox, Demetri took off.

After him Jane, Felix, Alec and Bruce followed. Eschewing the elevator in favor of the stairs, Demetri raced at vampire speed down the deserted steps, but moved at a human pace through the lobby. Bruce turned himself into mist to keep up, moving like a cloud of black smoke. On the street Demetri paused and looked right and left before setting off towards the east side of the city. Their group drew several wary glances walking through the dim streets. Jane was so used to hiding in the shadows in Volterra and going unnoticed to humans that the attention they drew made her uncomfortable. After a few blocks it struck her that the group of vampires together, plus the intimidating air of magic surrounding Bruce disturbed the humans.

As they walked she snuck a glance at the warlock next to her. She remembered his mentor, Judah Harel from the time of the Italian Renaissance. The warlock had served as a vampire hunter for many years when the Volturi’s power hadn’t been as solidified and vampires still hunted in the city, drawing attention from the villagers. He’d worked both with and against the Volturi during those years before disappearing at the turn of the eighteenth century. She recalled him as a merciless opponent and a cunning ally. Jane sensed some of the same characteristics in Bruce Wayne. 

Demetri slowed down a block before they reached the shipping yard. He stopped in front of a chain link fence topped with coils of barbed wire and decorated by sun-faded private property signs posted every few feet. Behind the fence was a red brick building with the words ‘Gotham Power Company’ in block letters on the side.

“She’s here,” Bruce said. “I can sense her.”

“Felix, Alec,” Jane prompted. 

The two men went ahead of her, after Demetri, who’d already jumped the fence. 

She and Bruce trailed after the trio. Bruce held open the door for her and waited for her to enter first. Inside the mill was a large open room, which was more than a hundred meters long and almost as wide. She and Bruce stood just inside the door, side by side, waiting. From above them there was a flurry of footsteps and a loud growl. A scream cut through the air. 

Jane didn’t move, didn’t blink. Neither did Bruce. A sound like a cannon blast came from across the room, then the unmistakable noises of a struggle.   
She observed Bruce from the corner of her eye. He didn’t offer so much as a flicker of an expression or tensing of muscles to indicate a reaction. Instead, he stood with his hands folded and kept his eyes fastened on the stair case. There was both intentness and patience in his demeanor. Jane was reminded of a cat hunting a bird, the animal sitting under a tree waiting endlessly for their prey.

A string of profanity burst through the air as the door at the top of the stairs swung open. Felix and Alec dragged a redheaded woman down the steps with them. Alec had one arm and Felix the other as the woman thrashed about, trying to free herself. Behind them trailed Demetri, holding a blond boy by the back of the neck. Jane’s attention turned to the newcomer, who looked no more than nineteen or twenty. The boy snarled and struck out with the speed of a cobra at his captor, but Demetri was faster. He blocked the vampire before his sharp teeth could make contact with skin and landed a jab that stunned the vampire. Cracks appeared in his marble like skin. Demetri picked him up and threw him over one shoulder.

Felix and Alec hauled their captive across the room and threw Victoria to the floor. She collapsed on her knees at Jane’s feet.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” Jane said. 

Victoria pushed herself into a kneeling position and looked up with hatred in her eyes. She was silent. 

“Do you know who I am?” 

“Yes. You’re Jane, of the Volturi Guard.”

“I work for Aro. And your actions have been very troubling to him, leaving a trail of body all over one of the most populous cities in North America. Inspiring a name like the Vampire of Gotham….. this is very bad for our reputation, Victoria. Have you anything to say in your defense?”

“Hypocrite!!” 

“Excuse me?”

“You’re all hypocrites,” Victoria growled at Jane. She tossed her vibrant mane of hair and sent an icy glare behind her at Alec, Felix and Demetri. 

“In what way are we hypocrites?” 

“You dare to punish me, while their crimes are so much greater!”

“Whose crimes?”

Say it, say the name. 

“The Cullens! I may not have hidden my kills, but they broke our most important law. They revealed themselves to a human!”

Jane cocked her head. “How do you know?”

“She was there when I first met them, on the Olympic Peninsula.” 

“Can you prove this?”

“I can. Just ask him!” she pointed at Bruce.

Jane turned to the warlock, her expression expectant. He did offer an explanation but regarded her with mild eyes that revealed nothing, even when she narrowed her eyes to stare him down.

“She’s his mate, her name is Bella Swan,” Victoria said.

The confirmation of her suspicions was music to her ears.

“Is this true?”

Bruce shrugged. “Yes and no.”

Jane raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes, Bella Swan is my mate. No, the Cullens did not reveal themselves to a human. As my mate, Bella is a sorceress, a magical being. The Cullens didn’t commit a crime.”

“Lies!” Victoria screeched. “She was human when I met her!”

“She’s a sorceress,” Bruce said. “Your law is unbroken.”

“Is your mate aware of vampires?” Jane asked.

“Considering that this one’s been hunting her for the past five years, yes.”

Victoria hissed. “They killed my mate! I deserved retribution!”

Jane pursed her lips and turned back to Victoria. “You’re certain Bella Swan was fully human when you met her?”

“Yes! And I’m sure she knew what they were. I’ll testify.”

Jane smiled. “Thank you. Your information has been most helpful to us. We are in your debt.”

“Wait,” Bruce broke in. “You have one an accusation, that’s hardly a case against the Cullens.”

“It’s sufficient,” Jane said. 

“I’d be happy to testify,” Victoria offered again.

Jane clucked her tongue. “That won’t be necessary. You’ve violated our most sacred law and revealed yourself to Bella Swan, just as the Cullens did. Added to your crime of not covering the evidence of your feeding, I have no recourse but to punish you in the appropriate manner. Felix?”

The enforcer moved so fast he blurred. He caught Victoria in a headlock before she could twitch. She jerked and struggled to escape but his nimble hands stopped her. Felix found a grip, one hand on her jaw the other fisted in her thick hair and twisted her neck. Victoria screamed but it ceased when her head was ripped from her body. Felix tossed the appendage towards Jane’s feet and it rolled to a stop between her and Bruce. They both looked down at it. Victoria’s lips were still moving, and her eyes rolled in their sockets as venom foamed from her mouth. 

The sight was gruesome.

Jane turned her attention back to the execution and saw the Felix had rent Victoria into pieces. From his pocked he pulled a lighter and crouched beside the pile to light the remains. 

Alec and Demetri were locked in a fierce battle with Victoria’s accomplice. The blond boy fought their hold with everything he had, but he was too unskilled for his actions to make much of a difference. Still he kicked and wrestled and spat venom at his captors but was unable to break their hold. 

There was a whoosh as the highly combustible venom caught flame and the pile of limbs that had been Victoria was engulfed in fire. 

“Victoria!!” the boy screamed as he threw himself towards the fire. 

At the sight of his devastation, Jane was exulted. 

She dusted off her hands, satisfied in a job well executed. “Well that’s everything,” she said to the group. “Let’s go.”

Bruce caught her by the arm. “Hold it. What about him?” 

He nodded to where the boy was crumpled in half, sobbing. Everyone’s eyes turned to Jane. Felix looked hopeful at the prospect of a second execution.

“He’s young. He didn’t know better. This will be a lesson to him. Now that he understands the law, I’m sure he won’t be any trouble.”

Bruce’s face darkened. “That’s unacceptable.”

“My judgment is final.”

“You’re keeping him alive so he can testify against the Cullens.” 

“He’s committed no crime except by ignorance and he will be taught better ways. I’ll see to it myself. He lives.”

“Taught to pick off humans like a lion picks off antelope? Not in Gotham. This is my city and its off limits to all vampires.”

“Oh, is that so?” 

Bruce stepped closer, so he loomed over her. “Yes, and that includes you. Your business here is done.”

Jane’s chin went up. “It’s time for you to leave us.”

Fury radiated from the warlock. “This isn’t over.”

“Yes, it is.” 

She didn’t have time to blink before magic hit her.

The blast of power threw her several feet and she landed hard on her back with a crack that resounded through the big, open room. Bruce dissolved into mist and appeared beside her. Jane lunged for him, but he seized her by the throat, so tight that she could feel her skin crack under the pressure. Alec and Demetri moved to help her, as did Felix, but with a wave of his hand, Bruce stopped them in their tracks. His hand constricted on her throat and she cried out in pain. As a last resort, she drew on her power, glowering up at him with all the wrath she could muster. Nothing happened. 

Jane gasped.

“You didn’t really think that would work on me, did you?” Bruce drawled. “Judah mentioned your power. It doesn’t stand a chance past my shields, kid. You’ll leave my city within the next twenty-four hours. If the urge strikes you to hunt, it won’t be in Gotham, do you understand?”

She spat venom at him but missed. Jane fought his hold with all her strength, to no avail. Helplessness wasn’t a feeling she’d experienced in centuries but the merciless grip on her throat unsettled her. 

“You don’t know your place warlock,” she rasped.

“No, you don’t know my place. I’m the protector of this city and the people in it. Unless you’d like to make an enemy out of me, don’t hunt in the area. And I assure you, Jane, you’ve never had an enemy like me.”

“Fine!!”

Bruce dissolved into mist and vanished. 

Jane sat up. Her hand flew to her throat, feeling the skin there to assure herself that had been repaired.

Alec was the first one to her side. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, no thanks to you!” 

“We were paralyzed, we couldn’t move,” Felix defended. 

“The newborn escaped,” Demetri said, distracting her just as she was about to send Felix into convulsions of pain.

“What?” Jane spun to take in the empty space where the boy had been. “Idiots!” she screeched. “We needed him!”

“For what?” Felix asked.

Jane growled. “You’re all useless! Stay behind and finish this, burn down the building.”

“Where are you going?” Alec called as she made for the exit.

“Hunting!”

Jane stormed out of the abandoned factory and headed toward the street, where she stopped and lifted her face to the wind. It had been ages since she’d last had to track someone on her own and it took her a moment to find the sweet scent of vampire. The trail was clear, but Jane found her skills were rusty. Several times, she had to double back to where she’d last had the scent and follow it more carefully. The trail took her towards East End, the worst slum Gotham had to offer. As Jane walked she noted the drug addicts sprawled on the sidewalk, high on some type of amphetamines. She wondered why the boy had come to this area. None of the prey here was acceptable, their blood was riddled with fresh chemicals that hadn’t been metabolized, the synthetic traces of which would be rejected by a vampire’s stomach. 

Around the next corner, Jane caught sight of the blond boy. He stood across the street, with his back to her. She paused under a streetlight and took a moment to observe him from a distance. The newborn stood in front of a dilapidated old apartment building with narrow windows and crumbling cement steps. From behind, she couldn’t see his face but the clenched fists at his sides gave away his anger. Jane smiled. She crossed the street to stand next to him. He had his head tilted back, staring up at the fourth-floor row of windows. She tilted her head back as well, mimicking his posture. 

The boy spoke. “If you’re here to kill me, get on with it.”

She made a thoughtful noise but didn’t comment on his request. “What’s your name?”

“Riley.”

“Nice to meet you, Riley. I’m Jane, of the Volturi Guard.”

“Victoria explained who you were. She was trying to bring you here.”

“She succeeded.”

“You were supposed to take out the Cullens! They’re here, they’re stalking her!”

Jane doubted that but didn’t argue against his impassioned words.

“Bella Swan was their pet and she wanted James dead. Victoria couldn’t stop them. Bella ordered the Cullens after her. Victoria ran but she couldn’t run fast enough to escape their seer. The only way to stop them was to kill Bella and the entire coven. But we couldn’t do it alone, we needed help. That was where you were supposed to come in.”

It was the stupidest plan Jane had ever heard. Perhaps Victoria had planned to draw the Volturi and the Cullens to Gotham with the conspicuous hunting. Riley would have been the perfect patsy to pin her crimes on. She could have offered her services in tracking him down and then accused the Cullens, who would have been conveniently nearby, of revealing themselves and directed them to Bella as proof. Not a bad plan, but beside the point now. 

Riley turned to face Jane. The fervor of hatred burned in his eyes like white phosphorus set a flame.

“You’re all frauds. You think you dispense justice, but the Cullens are going to get away with it all – revealing themselves to a human, tormenting Victoria, killing her mate and now for causing her death. Know what I think? I think you’re just as afraid of the Cullens as she was and that’s why you won’t go after them!”

Jane set aside his insults and kept her tone placid. “Have you not considered the deficiency of your evidence? Your accusations may have a ring of truth, but you have no proof.”

“You want evidence?” Riley demanded. He pointed up at the last window of the fourth floor. “Ask her. Bella Swan, the warlock’s mate. She’s the reason for all of this.”

“I sympathize of course,” Jane said with as much earnestness as she could manage. “But the Volturi needs evidence, an eyewitness testimony, or a confession to proceed with a case. Our judgments must be unreproachable.”

“Investigate,” Riley insisted. “If you’d interrogate Bella Swan, you’d know what I’m saying is true!”

“We can’t help you,” Jane sighed. Her expression turned wistful. “I do miss the old days, when there wasn’t so many rules. Justice was much faster when it was dealt out personally. Know what I mean?”

Her words were accompanied by an expectant expression that made Riley’s brow crinkle in confusion. Jane spared the fourth-floor window one last meaningful glance.

“It’s a pity someone can ruin so many lives and still be allowed to live, isn’t it?”


	22. Face to Face

Chapter Twenty-Two: Face to Face

“Jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire.” - Solomon Ibn Gabirol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fear bubbled inside of Bella’s stomach as she sat on the edge of the couch, bent over with her elbows on her knees, and stared into the empty fireplace. She wrung her hands together and twisted her engagement ring around her finger. Bruce was off hunting the demon who’d killed her father, her best friend, and ruined her life. In her head she knew he could defend himself. He was a warlock. He’d fought Victoria before and won. But her heart was in her throat all the same, stuttering along in triple time, and no amount of slow deep breaths calmed the frantic rhythm. 

Judah sat in the arm chair beside the fireplace with his feet propped on the ottoman, hidden behind the international section of the Gotham Gazette. How could he be so calm? Bella wondered. She shot him a resentful look. He turned the page and glanced up at just the right time to catch her surly expression. 

Judah smiled. “Don’t worry about Bruce, he’ll be fine.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re not in love with him.”

“Thank goodness. He’s a bit too broad shouldered for my taste.”

He laughed at his own joke and then sobered to regard her with a serious expression.

“Bruce would never put himself in unnecessary danger. Your souls are bonded as one, to put his life at risk would be to put yours at risk and that’s something he’d never do.”

Bella nodded, but couldn’t bring herself to second his reassuring sentiments. 

They lapsed into silence and Judah returned to his paper and Bella went back to twisting her fingers. It wasn’t more than a quarter of an hour before a black mist swept into the room, but it felt like an eternity. Bruce solidified from the mist and Bella launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his waist and hugging him with all her strength.

“I’m fine, everything’s okay,” Bruce said.

He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

Judah lowered his paper just enough to meet Bruce’s eyes. “Is she dead?” 

“Yes. Victoria is dead.”

“Excellent. I’ll inform Alfred of the good news,” Judah said, folding the paper under his arm and heading towards the stairs.

“You’re sure?” Bella asked.

“I watched the Volturi burn the body myself. You’re safe.”

“Tell me everything.”

Bruce recounted his morning, in words and in images he sent to her mind. When he told her of Victoria’s accusations, the color drained from Bella’s face.

“Oh no,” she breathed.

“I tried to negotiate on their behalf,” he said, “but it seems the Volturi is set on going after them.”

Bella looked like she might faint. “They’ll be executed.”

An acute, staggering wave of guilt assailed her. Breath came in short gasps as a lump rose in her throat to clog her airway. Bella covered her face with her hands. This was all her fault. For revealing themselves to her the Cullens had signed their death warrants. Bruce guided her to the couch and she sank into the cushions, staring off into the distance.  
The Cullens were going to die and she was responsible for it. It was too much for her to bear; her throat burned and tears overflowed. 

Bruce grabbed her by the shoulders. “Bella, stop. This isn’t your fault. The Cullens knew what they were doing when they revealed themselves to you.”

An errant thought of Bruce’s passed through their connection and Bella froze.

“What do you mean they deserve it?!!” 

He winced at her accusation but offered no defense.

“How could you think that?”

“They left you. After all but adopting you into their family, they abandoned you! Victoria hunted you for years and what did they do? Nothing. For that, I don’t mind that they’re being punished.”

“Bruce!”

“I can’t change how I feel, it is what it is. And furthermore, the Volturi are well within their rights to execute the Cullens, they broke the law.”

“This is all my fault,” Bella said. “If I didn’t exist this never would have happened.”

The nausea she’d felt earlier returned full force and she felt as if she might throw up. All she could think of Carlisle and Esme, so sweet and kind, being torn to pieces and burned. Alice….. her best friend. The closest friend she’d ever had, was going to die and she’d never have another chance to see her. Deep down inside of her, the part of her heart that still loved Edward screamed in agony, demanding she act. Do something, stop this atrocity while you can, it begged her. The voice was right. The Cullens had been her family, despite any wrong they might have done to her, and she owed them some kind of loyalty.

Bruce’s face darkened. “I can see where you’re going with this.”

“I have to try to stop them.”

“The Volturi has made up their minds.”

“You’re right,” Bella choked, as tears overwhelmed her. The Cullens were as good as dead and her heart was already shattering into a million pieces just at the thought of their loss.

Bruce’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “They’re not dead yet.”

“They may as well be.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

“Bruce, there’s no way to stop them.”

“I can offer the Cullens my protection. Given the Volturi’s history with Judah, their fear of warlocks in general and their dealings with me today, they know taking on me would be their annihilation.”

Bella’s expression was both stunned and hopeful. “You would do that?”

“For you, I would.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce stood at room eleven hundred and twenty-seven of the Sheraton Hotel and stared at the door. On a scale of one to ten of how much he wanted to be here his number would be in the negatives, with many zeros behind it. He couldn’t think Edward Cullen’s name without getting a sour taste in his mouth. The boy had caused Bella so much pain and suffering that he craved to see him torn to shreds and set on fire with a fervor that startled even him. But Bella loved Edward. However faint the remnants of her feelings for the boy, it would hurt her if anything happened to him, and Bruce knew he could never allow that.

He took a deep breath, bottled up his riotous emotions, and knocked. A small brunette woman answered the door less than a second later. From Bella’s memories, he recognized her as Alice.

“Who are you?” she asked, her tone inhospitable.

“Bruce Wayne.”

Alice pursed her lips and ran her eyes over him. She cocked her head to the side and asked, “what are you?”

Bruce crossed his arms. “I’m sure Edward shared that information with you.”

Her saccharine smile revealed gleaming venom coated teeth. “I like information from the source.”

“I’m a warlock, Miss Cullen.”

“And I suppose this is how you escape my vision?”

“That or the obscuring spell I did on myself.”

“And on Bella?”

“Of course.”

“Alice, let him in,” a voice called from behind her.

The small woman glared at him but stepped aside so he could enter. He followed Alice into the suite where a small living room with a couch and two arm chairs was set up. Bruce tensed as he saw that he’d walked into the midst of seven vampires, most of their faces lined with hostility. Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie wore the same unfriendly expression as Alice. On the couch, Dr. Cullen and Esme sat on either side of Edward looking pained at the sight of Bruce, as if his being her proved a point they didn’t want to believe. Edward’s face somehow managed to exude both resentment and pain at the same time. The boy’s eyes were black and dark circles marred his pale skin to lend him a haggard appearance. 

Dr. Cullen stood and offered Bruce his hand. “I’m Carlisle Cullen.”

Bruce shook his hand and managed not to flinch at the permeating chill from his skin. “Bruce Wayne.”

“Bella’s fiancé?” 

“Yes.”

A flicker of sorrow flashed through the doctor’s golden eyes before he arranged his features into polite detachment. “Is there a reason for this impromptu visit, Mr. Wayne?”

“Two.”

The blond man raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve come to inform you that Victoria is dead. The Volturi executed her a few hours ago. However, she revealed that Bella knew of your existence while she was human, and your lives are in danger.”

From the corner, there was a hiss. Bruce’s attention snapped to Rosalie as her features transformed into a mask of fury – scarlet lips curled back over her teeth in a feline snarl. Her eyes locked on Edward. The tousle haired boy didn’t bat an eyelash. 

“Do it, Rose. I’d consider it a favor.”

Emmett frowned and put a hand on his wife’s arm. Rosalie looked at him and a silent communication passed between them. She scowled but spun on her heel and stalked out of the room.

“Thank you for coming to warn us, we’ll -” Carlisle said.

“I didn’t just come to warn you,” Bruce interrupted. “I’m offering you my protection. The Volturi may be powerful but they’re not capable of fighting a warlock and they know it.”

“We don’t want your help,” Edward growled.

Bruce pinned him with a hard look. “Bella requested I offer you my help. I’m here for no other reason than her enduring care for you, as misguided as I consider that to be.”

He turned to Carlisle. “My offer is good whenever you’d like to take it. In the interim I’ve placed a protection ward over your rooms that only allows you to enter it. That will hold you for a while but the Volturi is coming for you soon.” 

He took a business card from the inner pocket of his suit jacket. “You can reach me at any of these numbers when you make a decision.” 

Carlisle took the card with reluctance. “Thank you.”

With a curt nod, Bruce left. 

Once he was in the hall, away from a half dozen inimical vampires, the tension knotted in his shoulders faded. He pressed the down button and waited for the elevator. A sudden chill swept over him and the hair on the back of his neck rose. Magic burst from his hands before he called it, the defensive reaction automatic in the presence of a vampire.  
Alice Cullen stood in front of him blocking the entrance to the elevator. A high-pitched chime sounded, and the doors swept open, but she didn’t move. The brunette raised her hands in surrender, watching the green flames that emulated from his fingers. 

“Would you mind putting that out?”

Bruce flexed his fingers and the emerald flames that danced over his skin were extinguished.

He waited but she said nothing. Apprehension radiated from her as she stared at him, not quite meeting his gaze.

“Is there something I can help you with Miss Cullen?”

Her lips pressed together, and her worried eyes filled with venomous tears. Her voice wavered when she spoke. 

“Does she hate me?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Bella could never hate you.”

A ghost of a smile touched her mouth. “Thank you.”

As quickly as she’d come, she was gone. Bruce stepped into the elevator and wondered what, if anything, Alice intended to do with her new-found knowledge. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What if they say no?” Bella asked.

Since he’d gotten home she’d been playing a game of twenty questions over lunch, taking more than she was eating. It was out of character, as was the nervous tapping of her fingers on the edge of the table.

“They wouldn’t say no,” she answered herself. 

“Stop,” Bruce said. “You’re thinking in circles.” 

He looked at her plate and frowned at the untouched food. “Eat. You need to gain weight.”

Over the past week he’d monitored her eating habits and had discovered that she seemed to ignore food. She’d skipped breakfast for the past few days, nibbled on something for lunch and ate even less at dinner. Outside of meal times she never ate, and her lack of appetite was beginning to concern him.

Bella sighed, picked up her fork and took a bite. 

“I’ve been thinking about what you said,” she said after a few minutes.

“About what?”

“You were right about modeling. I don’t need the job anymore. It was a convenient career that I stumbled into when I didn’t have any better options. With Victoria out of the picture, my choices aren’t so limited anymore. I still have a few contracts to fulfill, but while you were out, I called my agency and told them I wouldn’t be taking anymore assignments.”

“What were you thinking of doing?”

“Expanding my content development business. There’s a lot more I can do with computers that upgrade websites. I might get into software development or something.” 

Bruce smiled and laid his hand over hers. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“When I finish my last contract, I’m going to burn every pair of heels I own.”

“If you need any lighter fluid Alfred would know where it’s stored.”

After the breakfast dishes were cleared Bruce took her down to the bat cave and handed her a file more than an inch thick. He didn’t offer any explanation but leaned back his desk chair and watched her intently as she opened it. Inside was a copy of the Forks Police Department’s missing persons report, dated the first week of July five years ago. She leafed through the papers and found a hospital report with a medical chart, MRI scans, a psychological evaluation and a social worker’s report. All the documents confirmed a diagnosis of psychogenic amnesia and the complete loss of her autobiographical memories. 

A social security card fell into her lap and she picked it up. “Bella Smith?” 

“You could remember your first name.”

The rest of the paperwork on Bella Smith went back four years, covering every area possible. Bank statements, admissions records and a diploma from Gotham University, her 1098 tax forms and even a passport, stamped from two weeks ago in their Marseille visit. Bella looked at Bruce in amazement. 

“You made an entire life. This is incredible.” 

“Given the magnifying glass it’s going to have to hold up under, it better be incredible. I pulled some strings and made sure most of the documents were official, in a manner of speaking. A friend in intelligence helped me out. And everything you had, such as bank accounts and other records under false names, has been erased from business and government records.”

Bella tried to hold back from hoping but couldn’t help but wonder if this meant she could visit her mother and Phil.

“I still need to plant memories in the minds of the people named in those documents. The social worker, the cops who did your missing person’s report, those are going to take some time. There’s still a lot of leg work to be done before I can call my private investigator.”

“Private investigator?” she asked.

“Someone has to put together all of the clues. Don’t worry, he’s on retainer at Wayne Industries and he’s sharp. If I give him enough information he should have this figured out in a week. All that’s left to do is plant the memories and you can see your family again.”

Blood pounded in her ears so loud it felt like a heartbeat and she felt light headed. It was almost too good to be true, but she couldn’t deny the evidence in front of her. He’d done it. Bruce had given her back the life Victoria had destroyed. She threw herself into his arms and hugged him with as much strength as she had.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just as things were looking up for Bella, a half mile away, someone else felt as if their life was falling apart. Riley Biers stood as close to the property line of the Wayne estate as he dared. Frustration boiled over and he kicked the road, and a basketball sized chunk of asphalt broke free and spun off into the bar pit. It lodged itself in the earth like a meteor.  
He’d managed to find the warlock’s home, but it had been in vain. He couldn’t get inside the property let alone the house. If he got within a few inches of the wrought iron fence he was shocked with a force like lightening. There must be a vampire repelling spell that protected the estate. He glowered at the invisible boundary. There was no other option but to wait. At some point, they’d have to leave the house and when they did, Victoria would be avenged.


	23. Cracks in Our Armor

Chapter Twenty-Three: Cracks in Our Armor

“Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections.” - Saint Francis de Sales

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two weeks passed and there was no word from Carlisle. 

Bella fretted over the silence while Bruce waited with patience, certain his offer would be accepted. After all, what other choice did the Cullens have? Despite his certainty that they’d hear from the vampires soon, Bella was a nervous wreck. 

Friday morning Bruce woke to an empty bed. 

He sat up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked out the window, towards the lake. Bella’s slight figure was stilt housed against the sunrise, sitting on the dock. Even without their telepathic connection he’d have been able to read the tension in her shoulders. Bruce left the bed and dressed in jeans and a hoodie. The sweatshirt was a concession to the chilly mornings that plagued Gotham even in August. He took the blanket from the back of the couch and headed out to the dock. When he sat down beside her Bella didn’t look at him but leaned into his side and slipped her arm around his waist. Her expression was vacant as she kept her eyes on the horizon, but he could hear the buzz of worries that beset her.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said as he wrapped the blanket around her shoulders.

“You didn’t, but you looked cold.” 

Bella hugged the blanket around herself. “Thanks.”

Silence fell and for a moment they leaned against each other and stared out at the sun, just creeping over the horizon. Fresh yellow beams of light streaked the sky with purple and orange. Apprehension rolled off Bella in waves. She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder and he tightened his arm around her, so they were pressed together, shoulder to thigh. 

“I know you’re going to tell me not to worry, but I can’t.”

“Calling me is their only option. It’s just a matter of time.”

“Edward will argue against taking your offer. I don’t know for certain, but-”

“You’re probably right.”

“He can be stubborn.”

“If he loves his family as much as you remember, he’ll come around,” Bruce said.

“Carlisle might have a fight on his hands.”

“He knows the Volturi. He’ll call.”

Despite his words, Bella’s mind swam with fears. Bruce lifted his hand and drew the green fire of magic. He held it there, hovering in the air above his palm for a moment before transforming it to the pale blue color for a protection spell. Bruce nudged Bella and jerked his chin up towards the sky. She looked in the direction he’d indicated and the flash of blue and yellow caught her eye. A King Fisher circled above the pond, its eyes locked on the center of the water. 

Bruce cast the shield spell over the surface of the lake, just as the bird dove. A sharp squeal sounded as its talons scraped over the surface of the water. The King Fisher squalled in surprise at the barrier and flapped its wings in alarm as it veered up and circled back to shore. In the center of the lake a fish jumped, oblivious to the danger it had been in.

Bruce flexed his hand and the shield dissolved. “The Volturi doesn’t stand a chance once Carlisle accepts my offer.”

Bella took his hand. She held it open, palm up. 

“Can you do that again?”

He obliged, and the emerald flame flared to life. The fire danced over his palm and spread to engulf his fingers. She touched it, probing the magic carefully for a few seconds. Then she drew her hand back and pursed her lips in concentration and flexed her fingers as he had. Nothing happened.

Bella sighed. “Maybe the bonding didn’t take.”

“Don’t rush it,” Bruce said. He pulled her into a tight hug. “Judah said he’s seen it take years for a mate to absorb enough magic to practice on their own.” 

“Years! That’s not fair!”

Before he could respond, the trill of his ringtone sounded. Bruce dug the phone out of his pocket and saw an unknown number on the screen. When he picked up, Carlisle Cullen spoke.

“We’d like to accept your offer,” Dr. Cullen said.

“Bella will be relieved to hear it.”

They agreed that Bruce would come over later to cast the protection spells around their suite, which they’d rented through the end of the month. When he hung up, Bruce looked at Bella, one eyebrow cocked.

“See? They came around.”

Bella smiled. “They did.”

She looped her arms around his neck she kissed his cheek. “Thank you for doing this. I know you don’t want to.”

“I do want to. I want to because it matters to you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce arrived at the Sheraton Hotel at eight forty-five. He parallel parked in front of the hotel and fed the meter a few quarters. Something shiny caught his eye and he glanced across the street at the brass doors of the Four Seasons Hotel. The polished metal gleamed in the mid-morning sunlight and the sight tugged at his memory. He stared at the doors and struggled to unearth the vague recollection that taunted him with how close it was, while it remained opaque. He couldn’t put his finger on why he recognized those doors. Then it hit him. 

Fifteen years or so ago, he’d visited this hotel with a woman.

Whether she’d been an actress or a dancer he couldn’t recall, nor could he picture her face, but he remembered the night they’d spent together. He’d been a few years older than Bella was now and had started to hit his stride as Gotham’s most promiscuous bachelor. There’d been a charity gala that night, or maybe it had been a fundraiser. But his table mate had been a beautiful, flirty, foreign woman who he’d accompanied to her hotel room at the Four Seasons for a brief encounter. He couldn’t remember the details of now if a gun had been pointed to his head and a description demanded. It felt like a lifetime ago. 

The brass doors sparkled, and his chest ached. Who had he been?

Shame burned in his throat as he thought back, not just on the night at the Four Seasons, but on all the nights he’d spent like it. In hotel rooms, women’s apartments, their houses, and on occasion, even in the bed he now shared with Bella. 

How had he ended up with her? How had he landed a woman so good and pure, when he’d done nothing in his miserable forty years to deserve her? She had other options. Even the option of Edward, who had once been the center of her world. Though the flame of her love had died down, thanks to the boy’s reckless actions, he knew his mate’s mind. Despite her assurances he was aware that the embers of her love for Edward could be fanned into a fire again. And he was sure if Edward suspected there was a chance he could win her back, he’d take it. Bruce wouldn’t blame him, given the replacement Bella had chosen.

His reputation as philanderer, an irresponsible playboy who cared for nothing and no one other than himself was twenty years strong. Edward would think he was saving Bella from him. And he might be right. The thought weighed on him. He turned away from the Four Seasons and walked to the Sheraton’s lobby. On the elevator ride up to the eleventh floor, his mind continued to torment him. 

Bruce knew he was no prize. He had nothing to offer Bella. She might come to her senses about him and see they were a terrible match. He gained everything, she nothing. If anything, his history, his reputation and his lifestyle would be a burden to her. Everywhere she went she’d hear about his past exploits and the racy stories he’d left behind. She’d be dragged to social events he was expected to attend, though she had no taste for them herself. Someday she might realize her mistake and Edward would be waiting. He knew that Bella would always have another option with the same certainty he knew the sun would rise tomorrow. 

The painful thoughts taunted him with their potential to become reality. He knew well that perfect things could fall apart in seconds. It was the way of the world, the way with which he’d become intimately acquainted. Bella could leave him. The elevator chimed to signal its arrival on the eleventh floor. Bruce was pulled from his thoughts and shook his head to clear it. 

What was he thinking? Every time he made peace with the idea of Bella being his, something threatened him, and his natural pessimism reared its head. But given his past, how could it not? She was all that mattered to him and held a power over him greater than anything he’d imagined. His worries were born, at least in part, from the knowledge that she was vital to his survival. Magic had melded them together so closely that he knew the pain of a separation would kill him. He was like a stray cat who’d discovered the warmth and comfort of a home in the dead of winter. In Bella, he’d found love and it had changed him. He couldn’t go back to his playboy ways any more than the cat could go back to the streets. Left to themselves they’d both die in the cruel and unforgiving bitterness, too changed to go back to the fighters they’d been. He and the cat had been domesticated. And once domesticated, nothing ever reverted to their wild nature.

Bruce walked down the hall towards the Cullen’s suite and wondered why he was here. He knew the Cullens were the greatest threat to his relationship with Bella. But despite that, he was about to pull them out of the jaws of a lion. It dawned on him as he stood in the hall, working himself up to knocking on the door, that the greatest threat to his relationship to Bella wasn’t Edward.

It was his family. 

She’d never had the comfort of a nuclear family, except when she’d been with the Cullens. He’d seen into her mind and was familiar with her memories and knew what her life had been like before them. For all Renee’s good traits, she was immature. She hadn’t been able to handle her own life, let alone the demands of child care. Bella had raised herself and upheld the adult responsibilities of cooking and cleaning and paying bills. Esme and Carlisle had been more like parents to her than actual parents had been. The Cullens had given her something she’d never had before – stability. How could he compete with that? How could he, only one person, satisfy Bella’s need for a family? 

The door swung open to reveal Alice Cullen.

Bruce froze. Had she managed to find a way around his obscuring spell?

“Relax,” she said, reading his expression. “I smelled you.”

That was not a comforting thought to him, but it was preferable to the alternative. 

Alice led him into the sitting room where Dr. and Mrs. Cullen waited. They invited him to sit down and he took an armchair across from the couple while Alice crossed to perch in window seat. There was no sign of the other Cullens, but he sensed their presence from the magical charge that hung in the air. 

Carlisle spoke formally. “Thank you for coming. We appreciate your help.”

“You’re important to Bella and she’s important to me, so I’m here.”

“I understand,” Dr. Cullen said. 

Beside him Esme twisted her hands in her lap and looked uncomfortable. 

“I’ll need some time to install a permanent protection spell around your suite. For your personal protection, I can do spells on pieces of jewelry that will allow you limited mobility for hunting and such. I’d advise that you only hunt when necessary and in groups.”

Esme stood. “I’ll get my jewelry box.”

“Pieces with stones are best. It’s easier for the magic to adhere to.”

She left with Alice and he and Carlisle were left alone. 

“Where would you like to start?” the doctor asked. 

They began on the south wall where Bruce cast a shield spell over the wall. It expanded to cover the flat surface, moving like a wave of light and settling over the wall before disappearing. Bruce threw a bolt of green lightening to test it, and the spell ricocheted. He moved on, followed by Carlisle. The doctor watched with curiosity as he performed magic, and Bruce could sense the questions he held back. Despite his clear interest, Dr. Cullen didn’t attempt to make conversation. 

When he was finished Esme and Alice reappeared. Esme had a large jewelry box.

“Pick whatever works,” she said as she set the box on the coffee table. 

Bruce sat down and began to pick through the pieces. He laid out a selection pieces that would work. The rest of the Cullen clan made their appearances, Rosalie and Emmett together and then Jasper. Rosalie had a small velvet box she offered to Bruce.

“I’d like these,” she said and flipped open the lid to reveal a pair of oversized ruby earrings.

“Rosalie-” Esme began, her tone reproachful.

Bruce cut her off. “They’ll work.”

He performed the spell for her and tested it. When he handed her the box, she graced him with a brilliant smile that took him off guard. Emmett stepped up after his wife with a Rolex watch and Jasper an old class ring. He did a bracelet for Esme and a sapphire necklace of Alice. Dr. Cullen presented the solid gold crucifix he wore around his neck. Only Edward was left.

The bronze haired boy had slipped into the room while he’d done Alice’s necklace and hovered by the wall, as far away from Bruce as the room allowed. He stepped forward and fished out a platinum ring from the box that he passed to Bruce. The strong metal accepted the spell without issue. Edward put the ring on without a word and retreated to the far side of the room, his spine stiff. Bruce put back the unused pieces into Esme’s box. As he was closing the lid, he caught sight of another platinum ring, much like the one Edward had chosen. The face of the ring was oval, set with narrow rows of glittering diamonds, with a delicate band. It wasn’t similar, he realized – it was matching. A woman’s engagement ring. 

Edward’s ring was half of a wedding set.

A wave of fury swept over him and Bruce struggled against a wave of dark magic that swept over him. The urge to turn around and strike the audacious boy with a curse that would turn him to ash was so intense his skin itched. Instead, he flipped the box closed and gave it back to Esme.

“You missed the bathroom window,” Alice announced.

Bruce’s nerves were stretched thin and he was ready to be done with this errand. 

“Show me.”

Alice skipped down the hall to the bathroom, where sure enough a window was hidden in the alcove, missed in his initial sweep of the rooms.

“Has Bella asked about me?” Alice asked.

He ignored the question.

“Has she?”

“No.”

She scowled. “You smell like her. Did you bring her along? Is she waiting in the car?”

“Absolutely not.”

Alice was undeterred. She crossed her arms and tilted up her chin. “Can I visit her?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I said so.”

Alice’s expression turned petulant. “That’s not fair!”

“Keeping Bella from her friends, are you?”

The caustic words didn’t come from Alice. 

Edward stood in the doorway to the bathroom. Behind him was Jasper, who looked as if he wanted to restrain his brother. Given the positioning of Alice between him and Edward, trapped in the narrow room should they come to blows, it was clear why. Any conflict would go through the tiny woman who was without her second sight to protect her because of Bruce’s obscuring spell. A step forward brought Edward into the room, already too crowded with two people. The sickeningly sweet magic of vampire filled his nose as Edward stood less than two feet away, only stopped from coming closer by Alice’s presence.

“Are you? Are you isolating her? Keeping her from the people who’d tell her you’re not good for her?”

“I’m not having this conversation with you,” Bruce said.

“Because I’m right?”

“No, because you don’t deserve to know anything about my mate or what her life is like now.”

Edward’s expression shuttered. “I won’t say you’re wrong in that regard. But I’d say she’s found someone even worse than me.”

Bruce’s mouth pulled into a snarl and he felt the heat of anger light in his stomach as Edward struck on one of his deepest insecurities.

“You’re out of line,” he warned.

“I don’t think I am.”

Edward shifted closer which forced Alice a stride back. She almost stepped on Bruce’s foot and her back bumped against his chest. Edward didn’t notice, his eyes were locked on the warlock.

“How much influence does Bella have over your relationship? Or are you using magic to control her? Because the girl I knew would never be with someone like you.” 

Someone like you. The definition of that title went unsaid, but Bruce knew what he meant.

The reminder of the seventeen-year age difference and the multitude of other un-equalizers between him and his mate made stomach twist into knots. From the outside, his relationship with Bella looked wrong. Even those within his own social circle thought of him differently now that he was with Bella. The rumors said that he was Gotham’s own J. Howard Marshall or that he’d fallen for a gold digger who’d fleece in before the year was finished. One of them must be taking advantage of the other, the power balance in their relationship was too skewed.

But he had no power and she had no power. Without his anchor he would surely die, and without his magic she would meet the same fate. He and Bella’s fates were so intertwined that they could never part without disaster. Yet, the worry that his lifestyle and position would make her feel suffocated, followed him like a shadow. Where would she turn when she found him too difficult to be with? To the boy she’d once felt was the gravity holding her on this earth. To Edward Cullen. 

His magic crackled to life without him commanding it to. He flexed his hand and extinguished the magic, but Edward caught the motion. Indignation made the vampire’s eyes narrow and Jasper moved in behind his brother, ready to interfere at the earliest sign of danger. 

Alice spoke for the first time.

“Edward, this isn’t the time!”

“When is the time?” he countered. “I don’t believe Bella is happy with you. She’d never give you the time of day, not the Bella I fell in love with. What have you done to her?”

Bruce could almost appreciate the situation Edward faced. He’d sacrificed his own heart to save Bella and come back to find her with someone worse. But the battle was over, Bruce realized. He looked into Edward’s bitter eyes and he saw the face of a man who’d been defeated. It was over. Bruce had won. Bella belonged to him, was engaged to him, bonded to him…. She loved him.

She loved him – not Edward.

The anger faded. His magic, so close to the surface, dissipated. Calm settled over him and he felt as if a boulder had been lifted from his shoulders.

“What I am is engaged to your ex-girlfriend. You made your bed, Mr. Cullen, you’re going to have to lie in it.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red eyes watched from the shadows of the alley across the street, tracking the warlock as he walked out of the Sheraton Hotel.

Hidden from the sun, Riley watched the tall man make his way towards his car. He tensed and took a deep breath to steady his nerves as he readied himself to act. If he wanted to abduct the warlock in broad daylight he’d have to move fast. With the Volturi in town, any misstep would be a death sentence. Riley launched himself forward, his eyes locked on his target, prepared to cross the street and take down the man in the space of time it would take a human to blink.

An arm shot out from behind the dumpster, clothes lining him in a move worthy of televised wrestling. The blond boy fell hard and felt his marble skin crack from the impact. Pain raced through his body, surprising him. He hadn’t felt physical pain since he’d been human. He stared up at his assailant, too frozen by shock to move. 

“What are you doing here?” 

Jane smiled and offered him a hand up. Riley accepted with caution.

“Any luck with the Swan girl?”

He glanced over his shoulder at the empty parking space where the warlock’s car had been. “Almost.”

Jane pursed her lips. “Your plan was to kidnap Bruce Wayne”

“I’ve waited for the girl to leave for two weeks. He’s the only one I can get to.”

“Suppose you caught him. What would you do with him?”

“I’d use him as bait.”

Jane looked at him mildly for a long minute. “You’re an idiot.”

She stated her determination of his intelligence in the same manner one said that the temperature was eighty degrees – unimpassioned and matter of fact.

“Excuse me?”

“Anyone who thinks they can take down a warlock is an idiot. As the humans would say, you’re grabbing a tiger by the tail. I wouldn’t go after him, not even if I had the entire Volturi guard behind me, because I know it would be suicide.”

Riley stiffened. “I’ll do whatever it takes to avenge Victoria. I don’t care if I die.”

“Your hair brained plan is going to get you dead without avenging anything,” Jane contended. “Bruce would have made ash out of you in two seconds.”

“What am I supposed to do?! Wait forever? Bella hasn’t left the property!”

“And if she does leave she won’t be alone.”

A crazed light illuminated Riley’s scarlet eyes and he looked wild. “I don’t care, I’ll go through him to get to her. Nothing can stop me!”

“One green lightning bolt to the chest will turn you into powder.”

He threw up his hands in disgust. “What do you recommend?”

“Get to her when she’s alone,” Jane said with a shrug, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

“She’s never alone!”

“She’s alone now.”

“Where I can’t get to her!”

Jane pulled a cloth bag from the folds of her cloak. It as cinched with a drawstring at the top and not much bigger than a deck of cards. “Not for long.”

“What’s that?”

“The answer to all of our problems.”

She undid the drawstring and showed him the contents of the bag. Riley looked in and saw a loose grey powder, like cement dust. 

“I took this from Judah Harel, Bruce’s mentor. He’s a warlock, a former ally of the Volturi.” 

“What is it?”

“I don’t know, but I’ve seen it take down protective spells.”

Suspicion narrowed Riley’s eyes. “When?” 

“In the time of the immortal children there were many strange alliances. But none stranger than warlocks with vampires. We don’t mix under normal circumstances, but in that era everyone was needed to control the insurgency of child killers. Judah was a very close ally of the Volturi in Europe. He once used this powder to take down a protection barrier a warlock had done to protect an immortal child.”

Riley nodded. “Victoria told me about the immortal children.”

“Not many know that we worked with warlocks,” Jane said. The expression on her face said that was as the Royals wanted it.

“Noted.”

“The powder only takes down the spell for a split second. Move fast.”

She held out the small bag and Riley took it. 

“There’s just enough to break down the shield once,” Jane warned. “It will resume its shape and you’ll be trapped inside.”

“Not a problem.”

“Wait until tomorrow night to act.”

He frowned. “Why?”

“Well, the warlock will be there today, obviously. Tomorrow he’ll be gone. I guarantee it.”

Something made him hesitate, an instinct of self-preservation that kicked in as he looked down at the cloth bag. From what he knew of the Volturi, this generosity was out of character.

“You said this was the answer to all of our problems.”

Jane cocked her head. “Yes.”

“Our problems. Not mine, but ours. What are you getting out of this?”

“A distraction. Even Bruce Wayne can’t be in two places at once,” Jane said. “Tomorrow night I can assure you that Bella will return to the estate alone.”

Riley wondered how she knew that but didn’t question her confidence.

“For this to work, you need to know that warlocks have a telepathic bond with their mate. Bruce knows Bella’s thoughts and vice versa. You may want to kill her slowly, but it’s in your best interest to keep her unconscious.”

“Or I could just kill her quickly.”

Jane’s face hardened, and she stepped closer to him, so close she had to tilt her head back to look him in the eye. “Wait for my order that it’s clear to go. Keep the girl unconscious and kill her after a half hour. Do I make myself understood?”

Riley wavered, unsure. The bag of powder felt heavy in his hand as he contemplated his options for a moment. He was so close to his goal, revenge was so near he could smell it. Did it matter if he had to do it by Jane’s rules?

“I understand.”

“Good.”

Jane watched as the young vampire ran off into the city. A smile crossed her face as she pulled her phone out of her robe and dialed the second number on speed dial.

“What?” Demetri answered.

“Follow the boy Riley. He’s going to the Wayne estate. I’ve given him the necessary tools to take the down the protective barrier that protects the Swan girl. When he crosses over, go with him and make sure the girl stays alive.”

Demetri grunted. “Fine.”


	24. The Noose Tightens

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Noose Tightens

“There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.” - Bryant H. McGill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The heavy iron door to the mausoleum had been wrenched almost off its hinges.

From the step of Judah’s cottage, he and Bruce stared at the wreckage in grim silence.

“What caused this?” Bruce asked.

The old man’s face darkened. “Guess.”

“A vampire?” 

“Jane. Jane is the only one who’d have bothered to track me here and known what was in there.” 

“How can you be sure it was her?” Bruce asked.

Judah crossed his arms and turned to face his student. “You remember when I told you that I worked with the Volturi?”

“Yes, hunting immortal children.”

“Vicious little things who could destroy a village in minutes but looked like cherubs.”

The gray-haired man shuddered. 

“Warlocks fought them before the Volturi ever knew what they were. But it was difficult to kill something that looked so appealing. Some of the warlocks switched sides, enticed by the immortal children, and became their dedicated protectors. We fought our own kind, people who knew our tactics and who were skilled with magic. Then the Volturi proposed a team up. We had no other options; so, we fought together. We defeated the immortal children and their creators and saved countless lives.”

His lips pursed. “But we’d also taught the vampires about magic.” 

“You said something was stolen from the tomb. What was it?” Bruce pressed, not liking the warlock’s demeanor.

“To protect the immortal children, warlocks would cast shield spells over their houses and we’d break them down. There’s a special powder we used, which the Volturi saw us use. It’s call Fairy dust because its iridescent and silver colored. Jane was with me when I used it in Greece around the turn of the twelfth century. She noted that it had a strong scent, like vinegar, and after that she always knew if I was carry it on me because she could smell it. Even through my shields it could be discerned.”

“You kept some of this powder in the crypt, didn’t you?”

“Yes. And it’s gone. It was the only item taken.”

“Show me.”

Judah led the way through the overgrown grass to the mausoleum and pushed the bent door aside. He snapped his fingers and the right wall dissolved to reveal a second room. Items littered the floor, a bookcase had been knocked over and its contents spilled on the floor, and a table was broken in pieces. 

“This is my fault,” Judah said. “I hadn’t reapplied the spells protecting this crypt in years and I kept my most powerful artifacts here, where they could be stolen.”

Bruce shook his head. “We didn’t know. No one could have known she’d come here.”

Judah met his eyes and for a moment he looked ready to argue. Then he dropped his eyes, looking towards the doorway as his face turned pensive. “It doesn’t matter I suppose. I couldn’t have reapplied the spell if I’d wanted to. I’m not strong enough.”

At his words Bruce felt his shoulders knot. “Judah-”

“Let’s face it,” the warlock cut him off. “I’m dying. My magic hasn’t been used for more than a century and my body is beginning to feel the effects.”

Words escaped him. Judah was strong, inhumanly so. He couldn’t be dying.

The gray-haired man caught Bruce’s baffled expression and gave a dark smile. 

“Everyone dies, Bruce even people with supernatural gifts. I’ll never be weak like a human would be but for a warlock of my age I should be ten times as strong as I am. I don’t have much more than a decade left.”

He looked at the man, trim and fit, the only signs of aging on him the deep lines in his skin and silver hair. Judah looked to be a young seventy-five from all appearances. He had to ask the obvious question. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes. But right now, it isn’t important. Jane is now capable of taking down your protection spells, both here and at the Cullens. We can reapply them and strengthen them but she’s still a risk with that powder.”

“We’ll start at the estate.”

Judah arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

“I’m aware Jane would target the Cullens over me, but I have Bella to worry about. And Alfred.”

“I’m not judging. It’s what I would do. But you’re her mate, you have to think of her wishes.”

Bruce crossed his arms. “If you’re implying something, get to the point.”

“You promised Bella that you’d protect the Cullens. It’s impossible for you to watch both their suite and the estate at the same time, strategically it would be best if everyone was in the same place.”

“If you’re suggesting I invite the Cullens to my home you’re insane.”

“You need to think of your mate. It would be good for her to develop friendships with beings who have life spans similar to hers.”

“I am thinking of my mate! And what’s best for her has nothing to do with being in the same proximity to the boy who crushed her heart and the family that abandoned her. They’re responsible for the death of her father and her best friend. They won’t be getting close enough to do anymore damage.”

“She’s forgiven them.” Judah pointed out. 

Bruce turned away. “Let’s go. We need to reapply the protection spells.”

They rode in stony silence back to the estate, Judah’s disapproval a radiating presence in the car that Bruce shut out with single minded determination. At the gate, Judah parked off to the side and the men got out. Together they walked around the property, pausing every so often to recast the protection spells. As they made their way back towards the car, Judah stopped. He turned left, towards the road. Bruce was in the middle of reapplying a spell to a section of iron fencing and paid no attention until he noticed that Judah was no longer with him. He saw the slender figure up on the hill, standing near the highway and followed him. As he approached, Judah crouched down to examine something. When Bruce was close enough he saw that a large chunk of concrete was missing from the side of the road.

“Test the air for resonance,” Judah said. 

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

Bruce spread his hands and searched for the resonance, surprised when it glowed the same ochre color he’d seen at the first crime scene behind Stagg Industries. 

“It’s Victoria’s partner. He was here.”

“Recently,” Judah said.

The particles were too fresh and bright to be anything other than new.

Bruce tried to estimate their age. “Within the past twelve hours?” 

The color was vibrant, but the magic had scattered a bit, indicating age.

“At least, perhaps sooner.”

“He’s looking for Bella,” Bruce said. “Victoria is dead, and he can’t get revenge on the Volturi so he’s going after the next best thing.”

“Or he’s trying to finish his mate’s work.” 

“Would he be that motivated?” Bruce questioned. “The Volturi killed her in front of him and he ran out of there like a bat out of hell. If he’s smart he won’t give them the opportunity to change their minds about letting him live.”

“Let me put this in perspective,” Judah responded. “Imagine if they’d killed Bella in front of you. What would you do?”

Bruce scowled. The cost of revenge would be irrelevant if someone had killed Bella. He’d do anything, risk anything, hurt anyone, for retribution. 

“We need to go check on the Cullens. He knows he can’t get to Bella, so they’ll be his next stop. Looks like they’re a popular target.” 

Judah drove them though the gates of the estate and up to the house, where they entered the kitchen to find Bella and Alfred at the breakfast bar, their empty plates still in front of them.

“Well this is quite the early hour for you, Master Wayne,” the butler said.

“It wasn’t an early hour by choice,” Judah said. “My storage crypt was broken into this morning.”

“What was taken?” 

“A magical powder that breaks down protection spells,” Judah replied. “We believe it has fallen into Jane’s hands.”

“Have you checked in with the Cullens yet?” Bella asked.

“We’re about to do that,” Bruce said.

Her teeth sank into her lower lip and Judah shot him a meaningful look.

“We’re going to need potion supplies,” the old warlock said. “I left some stuff down in the bat cave. Alfred will you lend me hand?”

The butler must have sensed the underlying tension because he quickly agreed. 

“What’s going on?” Bella asked as Bruce sat down beside her. 

He offered a quick recap of Judah’s association with the Volturi and how Jane broken into the crypt. With reluctance, he informed her that Riley’s magical signature had been found outside of the perimeter. 

“How are we going to keep the Cullens safe with all this going on? Riley and the Volturi?” She pressed her palm to her forehead and shut her eyes. “They’re closing in from all sides.”

“Hey,” Bruce said. He reached over and took her hand. “It’ll be fine. I promised to protect the Cullens and I will.”

“I’m not doubting that, but how? You can’t be there, protecting them and here. I still can’t do any magic and Alfred is human and Judah is, well, mostly human.”

He didn’t have an answer. She was right, as Judah had been. 

“I’ll set up the protection spells today and we’ll reassess tomorrow. Judah has some charms and potions we can do to make the spells resistant to tampering, which have already been applied around the property.”

“I suppose this means you won’t be at the show tonight?”

For a moment, her meaning escaped him. Then he realized that today was her last contract, a runway show downtown tonight.

“If I can apply the spells in time, I’ll be there.”

Bruce glanced at the stack of papers piled on top of her laptop beside her elbow. 

“Any progress on the business expansion? I’d be happy to help.”

“Actually, I spent most of my time on this,” she said. 

Bella reached over, plucked a sheet of legal paper off the top of the stack and handed it to him. It was handwritten cursive with lines written, crossed out, and rewritten multiple times. All that was legible was a short paragraph at the bottom of the page. 

Dear Billy, 

I apologize that I brought so much pain into your life. I know you must hold me responsible for Charlie and Jake’s death, and you’re right to do so. This letter isn’t amends – I know that’s not possible after all that’s happened between us – but a forewarning. In a couple of weeks, it will be public knowledge that I’m still alive. I wanted you and the pack not to hear it from me first. I don’t have the words to make what happened between us better, to take away the hurt I caused. But I hope you’ve moved on and found happiness.

I’m sorry.

-Bella Swan

“You don’t like it,” she guessed when he looked up.

“It wasn’t your fault that Victoria murdered your father and Jake. If Billy thinks that, he’s wrong. You don’t need to apologize to anyone for anything.”

“You don’t understand-”

“I understand. You have survivor’s guilt.”

Bella scowled. Then she seemed to relent and sighed. “I don’t know.”

On the counter, Bruce’s phone buzzed. He swiped open the screen to a text from an unknown number.

This is Alice. Have you changed your mind about Bella? 

He texted back. How did you get this number? 

“Who’s that?” Bella asked.

“No one,” Bruce brushed off as he tucked the phone into his suit jacket. “Why don’t I drop you off on my way in?”

“Sure.”

An hour later he stood in the lobby of the Sheraton hotel, waiting for the elevator as guilt ate at him. His reaction to Alice’s text had been knee jerk and it drove home the point Judah had made this morning. The question was begged, and he couldn’t escape it.

Was he letting his personal fears interfere with what was best for his mate? 

Bella was nearly immortal, yet here he was, preventing her from developing friendships with supernatural beings that shared her lifespan. But he shuddered when he thought of her reconnecting with Edward’s family. His insecurities screamed that the Cullens were a threat to their relationship. At the same time, he knew his fears were unfounded. Bella was loyal to a fault. She’d never let Edward, or anyone come between them. For her it was a settled matter – she had chosen him and there was no going back.

Bruce’s jaw tightened with disgust. He needed to man up and stop allowing his anxieties to get the best of him.

He was met by Carlisle at the door and pulled the doctor out into the hallway to give him a brief report of the morning’s events. Grim faced, the vampire nodded and agreed that there was nothing to do except wait and see what would happen next. Bruce strengthened the spells, reapplied charms, and checked the perimeter of the hotel for magical resonance. Not a hair was out of place. There were no magical resonances to be found in the hotel or the surrounding areas. Tension crept into Bruce’s shoulders despite the encouraging findings. Somewhere out there, the Volturi was waiting for their opening – he could feel it.

He returned to the suite where Alice was sitting in the living room flipping through a magazine. She’d barely acknowledged him since he’d arrived, and he could feel the chill radiating from her. When he remained standing in the room, she looked up.

“Can I help you with something?” Her words dripped with ice.

“I’d like to invite you to Bella’s fashion show tonight.”

Alice stared. “What?”

“I’d like to-”

“I heard you. But a fashion show? Bella would rather do a polar bear plunge.”

“If you don’t believe me I guess you’ll have to come see it with your own eyes.”

He was thrown off balance as the tiny woman threw herself at him and squeezed him into the tightest bear hug he’d ever been subjected to. As a human, it would have crushed him and even as a warlock it may have cracked a rib. 

Alice drove the Bugatti to the venue, an experience that doubled his amount of grey hair. The pixie didn’t just drive as if speed limits didn’t exist, she drove as if physics didn’t exist. It made the way he drove batmobile look cautious. Somehow, he survived the trip and escorted Alice to the front row, where she sat on the edge of her chair and craned her neck every time a new model came out. 

Alice squirmed in her seat, impatient. “When does she walk?” 

“This is her.” 

Bella stepped onto the runway in a silk dress that clung to her every curve. At the sight of her friend, Alice’s eyes filmed over. The venom tears would never spill, but they spoke to the relationship she’d had with Bella. Bruce’s shoulders loosened when he judged Alice’s emotions to be genuine. He’d known that Bella saw the other woman as a sister, but he hadn’t been sure those feelings were reciprocated. After all, she’d walked away from Bella in her time of need and chosen her family over her friend. But when Alice’s lower lip wobbled, and she covered her mouth to muffle a sob, Bruce smiled. 

Judah had been right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce and Alice waited in the reception area for Bella. When she stepped into the hall, Alice rushed her like a linebacker, throwing her arms around Bella’s neck. She staggered under the sudden weight of a vampire, but recovered and hugged Alice back. 

“I’m so sorry! I’m sorry! I never wanted to leave!!” Alice sobbed.

Bella pressed her cheek to Alice’s hair and smiled. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Everything worked out.”

Bruce moved away, towards the lobby doors to let the women have their moment. He pulled out his phone and occupied himself with the news alerts he hadn’t bothered reading that morning. Lucius Fox had texted him an hour ago about financial reports. Bruce was about to respond when his phone lit up with Carlisle’s name.

“Hello?”

The doctor’s voice was strained when he spoke. “The Volturi are here.”

At Carlisle’s statement, the muscles in his neck stiffened. “Where?” Bruce demanded.

“They’re outside of the protection spell and they haven’t attempted to breach the room.”

“Don’t go outside and don’t talk to them,” he ordered.

“Their request wasn’t to talk to us. They asked to speak with you.”


	25. The Siege of Wayne Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is being posted later than usual on Friday. I'm a senior in college and to celebrate my last in person finals I came home last night and slept for about twelve hours, so my normal midnight posting did not happen. 
> 
> Forgive me? :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Siege of Wayne Manor

“The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.” - George S. Patton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have to go with you!”

Alice screeched at Bruce as he dragged her down the hall towards the exit, Bella hot on their heels. He had a tight grip on her upper arm that she hadn’t managed to break yet, through it was a closely matched fight. Alice wrenched her arm away, but Bruce held fast.

“They’re my family!” she exclaimed. “Let me go!” 

Bruce shook his head. He kept his eyes on the exit as he pulled Alice along with him. She kicked at his knee and missed, but he didn’t spare her a glance. “Not going to happen.”

She must have seen that he wasn’t going to listen. In an abrupt motion, so fast Bella almost missed it, Alice balled up her fist and struck at Bruce’s jaw. He managed to dodge, but her shot was off by a whisper. Bruce snagged her fist in a tight grip before she could wind up again. He swept her feet out from under her and whirled, throwing her against the wall. Its delicate plaster cracked under the impact and white dust sprinkled on the floor as a hairline fracture ran up to the ceiling. Alice was pinned between the wall and the warlock. 

Magic swirled around Bruce, charging the air like lightening during a thunderstorm. Alice tried again. 

“I have to protect them! I can see the Volturi’s decisions before they make them.”

“Jane knows that. She’ll have prepared for it.”

“She’s never met me!”

“No one who’s been in power as long as the Volturi doesn’t study their enemies. Think Alice! Your family is large and powerful. Carlisle is a natural born leader; half of your coven has gifts. If the notion to take power ever got into your heads you’d be a serious threat to their reign. They know everything about you.” 

“He’s right,” Bella chimed in from behind Bruce. “If you went with him, he’d just have to protect you as well.” 

Alice’s mouth twisted into a scowl and her shoulders dropped.

“You can’t help them,” Bruce said. “Just being there would put you at risk. Take Bella back to the estate.”

He dug the keys out of his pocket and passed them to the vampire.

“How will we get in?” Bella asked. “The protection spells are still up, Alice can’t cross over.” 

“Right. Give me a second.”

Bruce shut his eyes, focused on the magic he’d done that morning, and one by one took down the layers of the spell. “It’s down, she can get in. Once you pass through the gate text me, so I can put it back up.”

Worry sparkled in Bella’s eyes for a moment. “Are you sure you should go alone? Judah could-”

Bruce shook his head. “It’s not fair to ask him when he can’t do enough magic to protect himself.”

At his words, he saw her worry turned to fear. 

I don’t want you to go, she said telepathically.

He could feel her anxiety and see the pulse that pounded at the base of her throat. Bruce reached out and pulled her into his arms. Bella shuddered and pressed her face into his neck.

Bruce’s voice filled her mind. Bella, I made them a promise. I have to keep it, they’re relying on me. But I’ll always be careful. How could I be anything but when to risk my life would be to risk yours?

He caught her face in his hands and planted a kiss on her forehead. Then he pushed her towards Alice. The vampire took Bella’s elbow, and for a second, she and Bruce’s eyes met. Nothing was said, but she understood. He held her responsible for his mate’s protection - he was trusting her with his life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She couldn’t stop fidgeting.

Bella’s leg bounced up and down as Alice sped towards the Wayne estate, weaving in and out of four lane traffic like she was a stunt driver. 

“Calm down. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Had the reassurance not been delivered through clenched teeth, it may have held more weight. As it was, it had the opposite effect. Bella’s shoulder muscles constricted even tighter.

“What do they want with Bruce?” she wondered aloud.

Alice didn’t reply but she sped up and swerved around an SUV with an inch to spare. Horns honked behind her, but she ignored them. She pulled onto the exit ramp of the interstate and didn’t slow down as they turned onto the highway that led towards Wayne Manor. In half the time it should have taken, they were at the gate, where Bella dialed her pass code. The gravel driveway didn’t slow Alice down.

They parked and exited the car. At the door, Bella reached down to scan her thumb print, but Alice’s arm shot out to knock her hand away.

“Wait!” She hissed.

Her golden eyes flitted around them. Alice turned in a circle as she scanned the tree line of the forest, the quiet pond, and then peered through the glass walls of the house.

“Stay here,” she said. Then Alice was gone. Bella caught a blur of white in the trees and realized Alice was searching the property. A second later, she skidded to a halt beside Bella. The pixie lifted her face to the wind and gave a delicate sniff.

“Your scent is covering up something, but I can’t tell what it is.”

“Can you describe it?”

“Sweet, like a vampire, but it’s faint.”

“Could it be Judah? He’s a warlock like Bruce.”

“I don’t know. Bruce has a strong musky scent to him, like leather and wood. It’s very distinctive, but he’s the only warlock I’ve met, and I wouldn’t know if they all smell like that. You don’t.”

“Do I smell the same?”

“You don’t smell as strong, but you’re still distracting. This scent is like I can’t get a good enough trace to properly smell it.”

“Maybe it’s Alfred. He’s Bruce’s butler.”

Alice looked somewhat appeased. “Let me go in first.”

Bella unlocked the door and stood aside for the other woman. She followed Alice into the kitchen and watched in amusement as the vampire stalked along the breakfast bar and sniffed like a bloodhound. Every line of Alice’s body was ridged, like she expected an attack at any moment. Bella held back a giggle.

All of a sudden Alice’s head snapped up and she hissed in alarm. It was the last sound Bella heard before everything went black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Why bother protecting them?” Jane asked.

She stood in front of the door to the Cullens suite, flanked by Felix and Alec in a black cloak with the pendant of the Volturi around her neck. Her red eyes were sparkled with irritation as she waited for his answer.

“Bella asked me to.”

“They broke the law!”

“Your definition of broke is tenuous.”

Jane bristled. “When they revealed themselves to Bella she was human. Whatever she may be now is inconsequential to the fact that five years ago the Cullens broke our most sacred law. Their crime is punishable by death. You’re interfering in affairs you have no business in, Wayne.”

Bruce didn’t blink. “Anything that concerns Bella is my business.”

A phone trilled to alert its owner of a text and interrupted Jane’s response. She tilted her head to the side and shot Felix a side eye as he rummaged in his cloak for the offending device. To Bruce’s surprise he checked the message instead of shutting it down.

“It’s done,” Felix said.

At his words Jane’s expression turned from hostility to calculation. 

“So, the Cullen’s are a concern of Bella’s?” she asked.

“Have you just figured that out?” 

From the corner of his eye Bruce kept a close watch on Felix and Alec. He didn’t like the smiles they wore. His mind churned. It’s done. What could it mean?

“Do you think Bella is a concern of the Cullens?” Jane asked. The innocent tone her inquiry was delivered in didn’t fool Bruce. Somewhere in her question there was a trap. 

“I don’t care what their concerns are.”

“I feel like they care for her,” Jane said. “At least a little, since they bothered to come.” 

“Yes, how generous of them to ride to the rescue after they set a psychotic vampire after her,” Bruce replied.

Jane smiled. “But they came.”

He shrugged.

“They care about Bella?” she said, a question. 

“Perhaps.”

The girl laughed. 

Not the light pleasant laugher of amusement but a hearty laugh of victory as she threw her head back and her shoulders shook. Goosebumps broke out on Bruce’s arms. 

“I wish every negotiation was this easy!” Her eyes shone with mirthful tears from her laughing fit.

“This isn’t a negotiation.”

“Yes, it is. We’re talking about what I have, that you and the Cullens want. Bella Swan!”

The door to the Cullens suite flew open and Edward exploded. He slammed into Jane from behind. The pair tumbled to the ground, so fast Felix and Alec had no time to react. 

They fell at Bruce’s feet with Edward on top of Jane. He lunged forward and grabbed the back of the boy’s neck before he could sink his teeth into the girl’s throat. With his free hand he cast a protection spell that settled over them like a bubble. By the time Edward was on his feet, he and Bruce were encased in the spell, safe from Jane’s power. Bruce gave Edward’s shoulder a squeeze of warning. Then he addressed Jane, who stood seething in front of him, her eyes locked on Edward.

“Bella is with Alice at my estate. They’re protected, even against the fairy dust you stole from Judah. Nothing will get past those spells.” 

Jane sneered. “Wrong. Something already got past your spells, Wayne.”

Edward growled at Jane’s implication. Bruce didn’t flinch. “If there were something wrong I’d know. Bella and I are connected.”

“Then reach out for her.”

A chill ran down Bruce’s spine. Had the reinforcements not worked? He was almost afraid to reach out for Bella’s mind, but he pulled down the blockade. As Jane had said he would, he found nothing. The usual hum of Bella’s thoughts was replaced with a dull silence that made his heart spasm with fear. The shock he felt at the discovery was like jumping off a diving board into a pool you knew was full, but midair you blinked, and when you opened your eyes the water was gone. And then you fell, into a concrete basin, with nothing to cushion you. 

“Where is she?!!”

The rest of the Cullens crowded around the door behind Jane. Bruce held up a hand to ward them off. Their presence increased the risk of violence and he needed information. 

Whatever Jane knew, he had to pry out of her. Bella was at stake.

“I wouldn’t know,” Jane said. “Riley Biers, on the other hand, would.”

The puzzle pieces clicked together. “That’s why you let him live isn’t it?”

Her grin widened.

“You didn’t steal the fairy powder from Judah for your own use, you gave it to Riley. You wanted my focus split. Bella’s been your target all along.”

“Mostly right. But you’re a little hazy on my goal.”

“Bella is means to an end. You said this is a negotiation - Bella is leverage over the Cullens.”

“You’re a smart one. And you’re right. What does Bella really have to offer the Volturi? Alice and Edward on the other hand…..” 

Jane’s eyes turned to Edward where he stood beside Bruce, his fists clenched, and his face twisted into a snarl. “You and your sister could be great assets to us.”

“We’ll never join you.”

“I think Alice will change her mind.”

Bruce’s gaze sharpened. “Where’s Demetri, Jane?”

Jane shrugged. “Someone had to make sure Riley held up his end of the bargain. By the way, thank you for taking down the spell so Alice could enter. Demetri hopped over at the same time to keep a closer eye on things.”

From the doorway Carlisle spoke. “What do you want?”

She faced him, her usual serene smile in place. “I want to forgive your crime. I don’t want to ruin your coven and I didn’t come to kill anyone. Aro and I have spoken at length about this situation and we feel the most suitable punishment is more…. reprisal based, if you know what I mean?”

“I will never give up Edward or Alice.”

“We wouldn’t join you,” the bronze haired boy interjected. 

Jane’s face turned to stone and her voice cold. “Let me make the terms of this negotiation clear. If Edward and Alice join us, we will forgive your crimes and let Bella go free. If you refuse, Demetri will allow Riley to go through with his plan to kill her. As for Alice, who knows what he’ll decide.”

Esme, who stood beside Carlisle, put her hand over her mouth in an unsuccessful attempt to muffle her sob.

“I will destroy you.” Bruce’s voice came out an octave lower than normal, as if through the suit’s voice changer.

Jane was unruffled. “Better men have tried.”

“I’m not a man.” 

The darkness that boiled inside of him rose to the surface without Bella to dampen it. He didn’t bother to fight, as he once would have, but shut his eyes and embraced its power. The sensation of the magic seeping through his veins was like he’d just knocked back three full tumblers of ninety proof vodka. When his eyes opened there as a dark fog over his vision. 

Jane’s smile dropped, and she took a step back, as did Felix and Alec.

“Are you alright, Mr. Wayne?” Carlisle asked.

“Fine.”

The doctor sounded disturbed. “Your eyes are black. Even the sclera.”

He didn’t acknowledge the comment but addressed the royals. “None of the Cullens will join you tonight.”

Bruce raised his hands and drew green fire between them.

The royals ran, but his magic was faster than their preternatural speed. Ahead of them he cast a shield that blocked their escape. Felix spun and dropped into a fighting crouch. He launched himself towards Bruce and hit an invisible wall, the momentum from his attack sending him staggering backwards. Jane rushed forward and touched the unseen wall that caged them. With a growl, she slammed her hands against it and made an animalistic sound.

“You’ll pay for this Wayne!!”

Bruce ignored her and strode down the hall. He could come back and kill the Volturi later, but he had other priorities for the moment. With a rough shove he threw open the door to the stairwell. Footsteps behind him made him pause and he turned to see Edward, Carlisle, and Jasper. 

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Alice is in danger,” Jasper said.

The other Cullen men looked equally resolute as Bruce scrambled to think of a way to get them back to the safety of the suite. 

"Stay and protect-”

“Emmett’s staying behind. With him, Rosalie and Esme their numbers are even,” Carlisle said. “If they get out of your cage and past the spells they’ll have a fight on their hands. We’re coming.”

Time was the enemy. With every passing second, the silence from Bella drove him crazier. 

“Don’t get in my way.”

On the interstate it was apparent that Carlisle was the one who’d taught Alice to drive, as he sped through traffic at breakneck speed. Bruce lifted the vampire repelling spell over the estate when they approached the entrance and snapped his fingers to open the gate. Without letting up on the gas, Carlisle executed a sharp left turn that threw Edward and Jasper against each other. There was a loud crack as granite hard bodies collided in the backseat.

Something moved in his mind, a faint presence that he recognized as Bella.

“She’s alive.”

Jasper’s head snapped up. “Alice?” 

“Bella. She’s coming around but she’s too groggy for me to read her mind.” 

Sweetheart, wake up, Bruce pleaded. 

He caught the impression of pain through their connection and his stomach clenched. 

Wake up. Talk to me, I know you can hear me. I’m coming for you.

Bruce? Bella asked, her presence in his mind weak, but there.

I’m here. You’ve been attacked by Riley, but you’re okay, you’re alive.

Her mind cleared, and she became aware of her surroundings. She was in the bat cave, with Alice. Relief coursed through him as he saw her location. He’d placed extra protections around the cave.

Riley is upstairs, Bella told him. He knocked me out and Alice attacked him. I was able to get us down here when I came to, but he’s trying to get through the barriers over the elevator shaft. We can see him on the security cameras, he’s throwing himself against the shield and its weakening. 

“Damn it!”

“What’s wrong?” Edward demanded.

“Bella and Alice are in the cave under the house and they’re safe for now. But Riley is trying to break down the shield spell over the elevator shaft.”

Jasper gave a sigh. “They’re alive.”

“Not if we don’t get there soon. I haven’t strengthened those spells in a while. He might get in yet.”

The engine whined as Carlisle pushed the car harder. As the crested the last hill, the house came into view and Bruce transformed himself to mist. He could move faster than the car over the rough road of the driveway. In the foyer he solidified himself just as Edward crashed through the door.

A woman’s scream sounded from below them. 

“Bella!” Edward cried. 

Bruce and Edward raced to the basement. The bookcase that hid the elevator was pushed aside, and the car was waiting. On its floor, there was blood.

He reached out for his mate. Bella! She wasn’t there. 

The four men crammed inside the elevator and descended to the cave in silence. When the doors opened, the first sound was growling. It echoed through the cavernous space, low and threatening. 

Bruce leapt over the mezzanine rail and landed in the gym. The growls originated from the bathroom, where the door stood ajar and a sliver of light gleamed in the darkness. He snapped his fingers, the door swung open. Green flames danced over his hands and his eyes were as black as pitch. Trailed by the Cullens, Bruce stepped inside.

Riley stood in the front of the shower door, his hands braced on the glass, snarling.

The glass glowed, iridescent and blue. A shield spell had been done to block him from the women inside. Bruce managed his first deep breath of the night when he saw Alice on the floor, her back to him, with Bella in her arms. He could tell she was unconscious by the limpness of her body. Alice shifted to the side and he saw the blood that ran down Bella’s face from a gash on her forehead. Alice was trying to stem the bleeding with her palm. She turned at the sound of them entering the bathroom.

Riley spun and snarled, like a Rottweiler seeing a cat on the other side of the fence. 

Bruce saw fear flash through the vampire’s eyes for a split second when he saw the odds, four against one. His attention settled on Bruce, and the fear shifted to rage. 

“You!” Riley spit.

Bruce paused to take in the situation as his mind sped through the options and risks.

Alice and Bella were protected in the shower stall, but by how much? The blue magic that coated the glass flickered. It marked Bella’s first successful spell and it couldn’t be strong enough to deter Riley for long. The vampire was close enough to attack the women before any of them could move. He would have to negotiate with the crazed newborn. He’d never been good at bargaining, but the stakes were too high for him to lose. Bruce raised his hands in surrender and took a step back. He glanced to the right, at Edward and Jasper, compelling them to follow his lead. Behind him Carlisle had already adapted a casual stance.

“Why don’t we all just calm down,” he suggested in a smooth voice. “We don’t want to hurt you, Riley.”

The boy snorted in disbelief casting a glance at Jasper who still wore a menacing expression. 

“You have people he cares about trapped over there,” Bruce said. “We’re all a bit tense. Tell us why you’re here, what do you want?”

An unnatural sense of calm washed over the room. Bruce eyed Jasper as he recalled from Bella’s memories that he could influence the emotions of others. Bruce watched as the hostility drained out of Riley’s face. This was good, it bought them precious time. They couldn’t fight in a space this tight without someone being hurt, most likely Bella, the weakest among them.

“I want revenge,” Riley said. “Victoria said a mate for a mate, and I’m going to grant her last wish.”

“Her mate tried to kill Bella!” Edward broke in.

Riley’s eyes narrowed. Jasper’s mood control prevented him from lashing out, but his face showed the loathing of a man who’d lost everything and had found someone to blame it on. It was a look Bruce had seen in the mirror at certain points in his life and he could appreciate how dangerous Riley had become.

“You hunted her,” the boy accused Edward.

Bruce cut Edward off before he could reply. “I know Riley. I know that Victoria suffered after James’ death.”

The attempt to build a rapport elicited an outburst even Jasper couldn’t constrain.

“He killed her mate and hunted her! I’ll finish what she started!”

“There’s your problem,” Bruce told the boy. “The woman you’ve trapped isn’t his mate. She’s mine. He left her. Edward won’t care at all if you kill her. On the other hand, I will, and I’m not the forgiving sort.”

Riley paused and looked the warlock for the first time. Throughout their exchange he’d watched the vampires but now he focused on Bruce. Unease flickered in his red eyes. The reflection in the bathroom mirror beside him showed why. Bruce’s face was hideous. He looked like a demon that had crawled out of the depths of hell, a monster cloaked in flesh. 

His eyes were oil wells, as black as pitch, and depthless. Riley rocked back on his heels. 

“I have to kill her,” he said. This time the conviction in his voice wavered. 

“It wouldn’t accomplish anything,” Bruce replied. “You’d be signing your death warrant, because if you kill her you won’t walk out of here alive. There’s one of you and four of us.”

Riley stiffened, and his eyes roamed over the room. He sensed that the boy’s survival instinct had kicked in.

“Even if you did manage to survive, don’t you see? Victoria was wrong. Her strategy to hurt Edward was to kill his mate, but Bella never meant anything to him. He left her.”

The newborn’s scarlet eyes flicked to Edward, whose face was expressionless.

Riley nodded. “You’re right.”

No one had time react. Riley moved like a rattlesnake striking, so fast he blurred. He hit Edward in the chest and together they slammed into the wall. Its porcelain tiles shattered upon impact and Riley sank his teeth into Edward’s neck and tore. Jasper and Carlisle jumped to help. The men grabbed an arm each and Bruce saw his opening. He drew back his hand, green fire drawn over his palm, and threw a bolt of magic that landed between Riley’s shoulder blades. His torso shattered as if it were glass. The power of the blow sent chunks of his body flying through the room and ash scattered through the air. 

Edward’s throat had been ripped open.

“Help!” Alice exclaimed. 

Bruce whirled, broke through the shield without magic, and crouched at Alice’s side. Bella’s lips had turned blue. Even in comparison to the vampire holding her, she looked as pale as death.

Alice’s words tumbled out so fast he could hardly understand her. “She fainted after doing the spell and then she stopped breathing just now.”

Carlisle came around and stooped down to examine her. He checked Bella over, taking her pulse, listening to her breathing, and then turned to Bruce.

“She’s in respiratory arrest, she needs a hospital.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the end of this work I am going to add an author's note. Leave anything you want to ask me about in the comments and I'll address it when I end the story, which is in about three weeks.


	26. Confronting the Ghost

Chapter Twenty-Six: Confronting the Ghost

“Never make a decision when you are upset, sad, jealous or in love.” - Mario Teguh

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce ignored Carlisle and slid his hands into Bella’s hair, cupping her skull.

“She needs a hospital,” the doctor repeated with more urgency.

He ignored the vampire and focused. Bruce preformed a healing spell that allowed him to see the damage to her brain. The injury was serious. Her central nervous system struggled to function as neurotransmitters pumped out potassium and absorbed calcium, all clear evidence of a concussion. Hidden underneath the concussion was bleeding, somewhere between her skull and brain tissue, which had caused the pressure that had led to her respiratory arrest. 

Carlisle protested with words that Bruce didn’t catch as he searched for the brain bleed. The tone was clear though.

“Let me focus!” Bruce said.

There was a small clot on her temple that had caused the pressure. He used a healing spell to close the wound and then managed the more difficult task of vaporizing the blood without harming the surrounding brain tissue. As soon as he finished, he felt Bella take a breath. With another spell he found the chemical imbalances in her brain and restored the proper equilibrium. When he was finished he felt dizzy from the effort and collapsed against the glass partition of the shower.

Bella gasped, and her eyes fluttered, then opened. She groaned at the light and turned her face away. Bruce felt her slip back into unconsciousness, but this time with a steady pulse and respiration.

Carlisle recoiled. His head snapped around and he stared at Bruce in disbelief. 

“What did you do?”

“Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and a mild concussion, both fixable with the right healing spells.”

“How?”

“Magic and good grasp of basic neuroscience.”

“Amazing.”

Bruce reached for Bella and Alice handed her to him.

Jasper almost tackled Alice when she stood up. He gathered his mate in a tight embrace and kissed her forehead, cheeks and then her mouth. Bruce looked away from the private moment between husband and wife. He carried Bella into the medical bay of the bat cave and laid her out on the exam table.

Dr. Cullen reached out to touch the gash on her forehead. His skilled fingers probed the wound and he checked her pupils with a pen light he produced out of the pocked of his shirt. Bruce gathered his power and placed his hand over the still bleeding wound on Bella’s forehead and clotted the blood. When he pulled his hand away the scab shimmered and disappeared, replaced with fresh skin.

Carlisle inspected the area with interest. “Fascinating,” he said, as he ran his fingers over the site. 

Bruce sank into the chair by the supercomputer and took a breath. It was done. Bella was safe and the Volturi was essentially taken care of. All that was left was to banish them from the city and then the Cullens could go home. 

But he knew Edward would stay. 

The boy stood across the room, his throat healed, and stared at Bella. His eyes were riveted to Bella’s still form, his sorrowful expression and the longing in his gaze were as much a declaration of love as a spoken pledge. Bruce’s worst fears were now realized. Edward would fight for Bella. 

Alice and Jasper entered the medical bay from the lower level, the smell of smoke clinging to their clothes.

“Riley is finished,” Jasper said.

“Did you burn all of him?” Bruce asked.

“Yes.”

“Hey, your eyes are back to normal again,” Alice said.

Bruce hadn’t noticed, but she was right. The dark mist that had covered his eyes was gone. Bella’s presence moved in his mind. “Bella’s waking up.”

“How can you tell?” Alice asked.

“I can feel her presence in my mind. Her thoughts are starting to come through again.”

He crossed to the table and smoothed his hand over Bella’s forehead and she stirred and turned her face into his hand. The impression of fear was the first thing he felt from her.

He spoke into her mind as he stroked her hair. You’re safe. Open your eyes. Bella’s lashes fluttered. 

That’s it, wake up sweetheart. 

What happened? Bella questioned. Even in the privacy of their minds, she sounded groggy. 

Riley was waiting for you and Alice. He attacked you but you’re fine. I killed him, it’s over. Open your eyes, honey. 

Bella managed the request and looked at him, dazed. He searched her mind to find that the memory of the last hour was jumbled by the trauma her brain had suffered. Most of it she didn’t remember.

The magic just came out of me.

Bella’s thought caught him off guard as her memory returned in a flash. He saw, from her perspective, the race to the bat cave and how Riley had trapped the women in the bathroom. The magic had come on its own, just as Judah had said it would.

I didn’t know how to do the spell, I just remembered how you would do it and it happened.

I’m never letting you out of my sight again, Bruce vowed. He slipped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her hair.

“You’re Batman!!!”

Alice’s screech echoed through the cave. Bruce turned to find her in front of the bat mobile with her hands over her mouth in shock. 

“Oh no,” Bella groaned. “I’m sorry Bruce, I didn’t think.”

“This makes so much sense!” Alice exclaimed. “No wonder you’ve never been caught, you use magic!”

“Actually, I’ve only had these powers for a few years,” Bruce said.

“Where have you been for the past three years?” the pixie demanded. “I was your biggest fan!”

“After I gained my powers I became mentally unstable, so I retired.” 

Bruce was aware of Edward and Carlisle’s disapproving expressions. The doctor’s sentiment he could respect, because the man was an avowed pacifist, but he suspected Edward’s condemnation was more self-serving. He could imagine the argument forming in the boy’s mind, which he would present to Bella. Your fiancé is unstable, dangerous, look at his history of violence – and on and on. If Edward was wrong Bruce wouldn’t have been worried. But whatever happened next, he was sure of one thing- his relationship was Bella was about to come under threat. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What had she done?

Carlisle tested her reactions and her grip and asked her a question, but she heard him as if from a distance. How had this happened? Bruce had put in years of work to make sure no one knew his secret, and in one night she’d revealed it to half a dozen people.

“It’ll take a while to recover from a subarachnoid hemorrhage and a concussion,” Carlisle said. 

“I’m fine,” Bella assured him.

“Your brain needs time to heal. Take it easy this week and I’d strongly recommend seeing a neurologist for a CT scan.” 

“I don’t need a CT scan.”

Carlisle frowned. “I know you trust Bruce, but there’s a chance he missed something.”

She gave in and accepted a referral to a neurologist.

“Bella.”

At the sound of his voice, Bella drew in a sharp breath, gathered her resolve and turned around. Edward hovered near the table, his posture stiff and uncertain. She met his eyes with difficulty and a chill ran down her spine as the memory of the iciness they’d held the he’d broken her, heart, mind, and soul.

“Can we talk in private?” 

She nodded.

Edward followed her to the elevator and as the doors closed she wondered if she was ready for this. The lift ascended, the whirl of its engines the only sound as she and Edward stood side by side without looking at each other. Bruce pushed into her mind with a wave of strength and warmth that steadied her. She opened her mind and let him feel her worries. Would she cry? Lash out at Edward? 

Of course not, Bruce told her. Give him the closure he needs and come back to me.

Buoyed by his certainty, Bella led Edward to the living room. She sat in Bruce’s arm chair, the one that always smelled of his sandalwood aftershave, and let the scent calm her nerves. Edward stood awkwardly for a moment before perching on the couch. Silence fell, and a thick tension descended. For a long minute neither of them spoke.

Edward was the one to break the silence. “I owe you an apology.” 

His amber eyes burned with grief. “I didn’t know Victoria would come after you. The thought never crossed my mind and I never suspected the danger I had left you in.”

Agitation made his voice unsteady and his words picked up speed, coming almost too fast for her to grasp them.

“I have no excuse for what I’ve done,” Edward said. “Bruce told Alice the werewolves protected you…..” he broke off and shuddered. “Werewolves,” he muttered, as if it were a curse. 

Bella’s anger flared. “They kept me alive!! Jacob Black died protecting me.”

Edward recoiled, his expression twisting in horror. “Jacob? Billy’s son?”

She nodded and swallowed back the lump in her throat. Her heart throbbed in her chest, lit with pain that had never faded.

“And Charlie, too,” Edward said. He met her eyes and winced at whatever he saw in them. “You hate me.”

“I could never hate you.”

The denial was automatic. Edward gave a grim smile and Bella winched. The words rang false and there was no way to pretty up the truth for him. She did hate him. Or at least a part of her hated him. Jake’s death had sown the seeds for the emotion and it had grown, inch by inch, for a long time. He’d destroyed her sunshine. Sweet, loveable Jacob had never seen his seventeenth birthday. Because she’d loved Edward and he had left her defenseless. The wolves had been her lifeline in a world where threat circled her on all sides and they’d protected her selflessly.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I deserve it.”

“No. You couldn’t have known.”

“I knew,” he argued. “That first day, in biology class, I knew leaving was the right thing to do. If I could go back and change things-”

“Stop. You can’t live with this guilt. What happened, happened. The important thing is that I’ve moved on and I’ve rebuilt my life here in Gotham. The responsibility for Charlie and Jake’s death lies with Victoria and not you.” 

With an expression of disbelief, Edward stared at her. “Loving me killed your father and your friend, but somehow, you still care about me.”

“I loved you more than anything in the world,” Bella said. Hope flared in his eyes for a second and she rushed to speak. 

“I had to let go of you to survive. I’d stayed in Forks to be close to memories of us because I thought if I left they might fade and I’d forget you. But when Jacob died, my priorities changed. I realized that I couldn’t rely on the pack to protect me. It was selfish of me to put them in danger, so I could hold onto what little remained of us. Leaving made me a different person.”

“I know I hurt you in unimaginable ways,” Edward said. “I can only beg your forgiveness.”

“You already have it,” Bella replied. “And I don’t hold you responsible for anything. I wish we would have worked, Edward. But you made your choice and the person you were in love with is gone now.”

Edward shut his eyes for a moment and clenched his jaw, his eyes squeezing shut. Just as she was about to ask if he was alright his eyes opened and he looked at her. 

“I would give anything to undo the suffering you’ve suffered because of me. I wish I’d have been strong enough to protect you from what I am, but all I can say is that I’m grateful you’ve recovered.”

He turned to stare out the window over the lake. “Humans are so resilient. You’re much more powerful than vampires in some ways. You can adapt even in the most adverse circumstances, while we’re frozen as we are. Everything is set, our needs, wants, behaviors, and personalities. The petrification of our nature can only be changed by monumental pressure and you were that for me.” His lips pursed. “Like you said, I became a different person after I fell in love with you and that will never be undone.”

Goosebumps rose on her arms at the finality of his words. “You lied to me that day, didn’t you?”

Edward looked at her, sorrowful. “How could you not know I was lying? I told you I loved you a million times and all it took was a sentence to destroy it all. And it was the most absurd, insane lie I’ve ever told. I thought it would be impossible to persuade you, but you looked as though you expected it.” Golden eyes searched her face. “I did love you.”

No response sprung to her lips. She felt frozen, knowing she should offer a reply, but unable. Unwilling, perhaps. 

“It was all for nothing,” Edward reflected.

Pain was evident in the tense lines of his body. She turned away because looking at him made the weight of her own loss feel heavier. Bella buried her face in her hands and tried to hold in the tears that burned in her throat.

Do you need me? Bruce’s voice entered her mind. He’d given her privacy during her discussion with Edward, but her emotions concerned him. The terrible claws of grief sank into her soul and she almost ask him to come. 

I have to finish this. I don’t know how though. Hurting him hurts me and it feels like cutting off a limb.

She felt Bruce blanch. Then don’t hurt him. You’re in pain and I can’t take it. Please don’t cry honey, it destroys me.

Bella shivered. This has to end.

Cool hands grasped her wrists and pulled her hands from her face.

“Tell me one thing,” Edward said. “Why did you believe me? What did I do to make you doubt my love?”

“It never made sense for you to love me.”

His face tightened, and rage sparked in his eyes. “I love you,” he stated, the words ringing with truth.

Her heart broke. She couldn’t return the words, couldn’t even think of it now that she had Bruce. Everything in her belonged to her mate and there was nothing to share. All she could offer Edward was a clean break.

“This is fair.” 

Edward didn’t speak to her, but in general. His words confused her.

“What?”

“I inflicted pain on you and that will haunt me forever, but I understand. What I did changed you. The girl I loved is a woman now, and she loves him, doesn’t she?”

Bella nodded and watched the light in Edward’s eyes die.

“Yes,” she said.

“Thank you,” Edward said, his voice resigned. His eyes swept over her face as if he was memorizing it before he turned away. In the blink of an eye he was gone.

Bella walked to the window and looked out at the tree line where she caught a streak of white. Her last glimpse of Edward.

A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind, warm and strong. She turned into Bruce’s embrace, buried her face in his chest and lost control. It felt like she couldn’t breathe as sobs wracked her body that left her gasping for air. Bruce pulled her closer and smoothed his hands up and down her back in calming strokes. Bella held onto him as pain wracked her, devastation that she was powerless to stop. She’d hurt Edward and there hadn’t been anything she could do to soften the blow. The past five years had changed her for the better and she wouldn’t undo even them, even if given a choice. Life, fate, the hand of God, whatever it was that controlled things had led her to Bruce and it was for the best. The tears didn’t stop though, despite that knowledge.

She cried for Edward’s pain, for Jake’s death and what she’d never been able to give him that he’d wanted so desperately- her love. She cried for the loss of Charlie, her father who hadn’t deserved the painful, brutal ending she’d brought to him. She cried for Billy and the horrors she’d delivered to him and the pack. 

Bruce groaned. “Bella, it isn’t your fault.”

I wish I didn’t exist.

Don’t say that, Bruce countered. I’d be dead without you – worse than dead. Magic would have driven me insane. I need you, Bella. More than I need oxygen, sunlight, food. You’re all I have.

You’re all I have – a strange sentiment to hear from a man with more material things than most anyone else in the word. Yet he meant every word. Her tears slowed as she let the thought comfort her. Bella tightened her arms around him, unable to get close enough, to soak up enough of his warmth and strength. She loved him with an intensity that frightened her. In a way, the feelings she had for Bruce were similar to what she’d had for Edward, but these ran much deeper. The love she had for him was a woman’s love, not a girl’s. There were layers to her emotions for Bruce. Passion, tenderness, lust, friendship…. such complexity to grow in such a short time.

Bruce kissed the top of her head.

“I know you love me,” he assured her. “I feel it every time I’m in your mind.”

She nodded and hoped it was enough to repair whatever damage she may have inflicted on their relationship in the past week. 

“You’re the first woman who looked at me and saw a man, not a walking ATM,” Bruce said suddenly.

Bella pulled away to look at him and gage his sincerity. Grim truth was in his eyes. She couldn’t believe it. “That’s impossible.”

Bruce was all man. He was just that way, so broad shouldered and muscular, that even under the veil of a three-piece suit, he screamed masculinity. She knew his body intimately and had traced the ridges of his abdomen with her tongue, counted the bulges of muscle and marveled at the effort he must have put in to achieve them. 

“They’d have to be dead not to see the man.”

“Not as anything more than a body that can satisfy them. You see me like no one else has and I never realized how much I need it that until I had it. You accepted me, even knowing who and what I was. You did more than that, somehow you fell in love with me. It’s more than I deserve.” 

She sank into his embrace and laid her cheek on his chest. “Never let me go.”

“You know I won’t.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hidden from view in the forest, Edward listened, his heart breaking with every word.

The others had already left. He’d told them he wanted to be alone but hadn’t been able to leave, trapped by an unquenchable desire to watch Bella for just a short while longer. And that desire had crushed the shattered remains of his dead heart into powder as he’d heard those words from his love’s lips.

Never let me go.

He’d inspired those words. He had injured her irrevocably, in a way that even time could never heal. The crowning sin of his existence was abandoning Bella. He’d lied, coveted, and killed without remorse. But hurting Bella was what had turned him into a monster for good. She’d done nothing but love him and had paid dearly for it. Edward hoped Bruce would heal that wound. It pained him to think it, but he still hoped for it. 

A twig snapped behind him and Edward tensed. He wasn’t alone – the thoughts of another intruded on the quiet as their owner chose to reveal himself. 

“Demetri.”

“Hello, Edward.”

“I’d forgotten you were here.”

The Greek vampire stopped beside Edward. He didn’t look at the man next to him but gazed down into the house where Edward was looking. Bruce and Bella were locked in a tender embrace with her cheek pressed against his chest and his arms folded around her waist.

In a stupid, childish moment, Edward wished for a trade. He wished that he could have been born as Bruce Wayne and Bruce had been given his miserable lot in life. He yearned to exchange fates with the warlock, so he could have Bella and a chance at a real future with her. They would have had children, grandchildren. He longed to feel the bond Bruce shared with her to see into her mind, feel her every emotion. He hated Bruce Wayne. The man had everything Edward never would, the only thing he’d ever wanted.

Demetri watched him now, his interest moving from the couple to Edward. “How could you love a human? It goes against nature.”

How could you love dinner? The thought filtered through the vampire’s mind.

“Humans are not prey to me,” Edward said.

Demetri shrugged and let the matter go. 

To him it was a mere oddity, something peculiar in a world where he’d seen everything more than once. It was irrelevant to his mission here tonight. 

“Someone has to pay,” Edward said, voicing Demetri’s thoughts.

“We cannot return to the Volturi with nothing. Aro has heard of Carlisle’s sins and he wants justice.”

Carlisle’s sin. It was a ridiculous thought. The man was purer than driven snow, cleaner from iniquity than any man, mortal or not, that Edward had ever met. The Volturi would kill him for this, despite Bruce’s protection. They were relentless and powerful, and they knew how to wait. Vampires had nothing but time and grudges never went unsettled.

“I was the one who revealed myself. I will pay.”


	27. Let Justice be Blind

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Let Justice be Blind

“In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?” -Saint Augustine

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tears ran down her cheeks, but she couldn’t summon the energy to wipe them away. With the pads of his thumbs Bruce did it for her and Bella wished she could hide her pain. He hurt because she did – their bond was too deep for separation between whose emotions belonged to whom. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He didn’t reply but kissed her cheek and let her snuggle into his chest.

It wasn’t enough. Bella’s hands began to wander over his chest, his back, as her lips brushed up the smooth column of his throat to his lips. He groaned and then he was kissing her back. His mouth was hot and hard as he took control of the kiss. Heat swept through her body at the flick of his tongue over hers. Her arms snaked around his shoulders and Bruce angled his head to deepen the kiss.

His voice sounded in her mind. Tell me you want me, Bella.

There was a desperate edge to his command that gave the first hint of vulnerability she’d seen from him. In some way, her mourning for Edward had unsettled Bruce. 

You’re the only one I want, Bella promised. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted like this. 

Her answer soothed his anxieties and his hands slid down her waist to grasp her hips and pull her flush against him. Bruce growled into her mouth and she felt the surge of possessiveness from his emotions. 

“Bella.” Bruce’s voice was rough and impatient as he scooped her up into his arms. 

Her hands gripped his shoulders for balance. “Bed, now."

In two strides, he crossed the room and tossed her on the bed. Then he reached over to the nightstand and pressed the button that transformed the windows opaque. 

Bella reached down, caught the hem of her dress and pulled it over her head. Bruce stripped off his jacket and shirt. When he caught sight of her he fumbled undoing his belt buckle and she grasped his shoulders and began to kiss every inch of him she could reach. Her lips brushed over the densely-packed stubble on his jaw, his throat and the hollow between his clavicles. She couldn’t wait a minute longer. Her hands stroked over the hard muscles on his sides and back, marveling at the feel of them moving under her hands. Bruce wrapped his arms around her and pushed her down, then rolled over, so she was on top of him.

She straddled his hips and leaned down to taste him. His hands traced the curves and dips of her body as she savored the spicy taste of his mouth. Bruce broke their kiss and sat up, forcing her back, and captured the peak of her breast. Bella whimpered as his teeth scraped over it, nibbled, and then licked gently. She sank her hands into his thick hair and clasped his head to her as he sucked harder. He drove her insane with his mouth, proceeding as though he had all the time in the world. Her hips rolled, trying to entice him to speed up, as her desire built from a flame into a wildfire.

“Bruce,” Bella begged. She clutched his shoulders and her nails sank into his skin.

He made a noise of acknowledgement in his throat but didn’t stray from the task at hand. The rasp of his stubble over the sensitive skin of her chest heightened her awareness of her body and sent fire straight to her core.

“Bruce,” she tried again, opening her mind to his, showing him how desperately she wanted him. 

A wave of male satisfaction passed into her mind at her urgency. She felt him push into her mind and he seemed to spread through her consciousness until he saturated her mind. He was letting her into his mind in a way he never had before. The essence of what was him and what was her blurred as the edges of individuality faded away. Her pleasure, his pleasure…. they blended together as one. It was overwhelming and electrifying. Bruce’s mind filled hers leaving no space between them and the sorrow she’d felt minutes earlier was driven out. There was no room for grief or emptiness when he filled her mind and she became hypnotized by the power that flowed between them. The heady emotions heightened her senses as Bruce rolled her onto her back and settled over her. His mouth skimmed down her body as he pressed a trail of kisses over each rib one by one. He dipped his tongue into her navel and she shivered in response.

More, Bella demanded. 

Patience, sweetheart.

She saw that he intended to stretch the night out for as long as he could. It went against the intense hunger he felt for her, the sharp need that burned inside of him, but he wanted to see her shatter. He wanted to hear the cries of her pleasure before he satiated his own desire. Bruce lowered his head between her thighs and lapped at the wetness that coated her folds.

“Please, I’m close,” Bella gasped. Tension coiled deep inside of her, tighter and tighter. She couldn’t keep still, and her hips gyrated of their own volition.

Bruce growled in reprimand and his hands grasped her hips to pin her to the bed. He explored the aching flesh gently before he drove his tongue deep into her channel. She thrashed under him, needing more, but being denied it by his restraining arms. He ravaged her with his mouth, tongue and lips. Bruce sucked, licked, flicked and teased until she writhed, a mess of nerves. Wetness had seeped onto her thighs. Bella felt crazed as she tanged her fingers in his hair to pull him closer as she begged in disjointed sentences for more, for mercy from the wild assault. He ignored her pleas.

“Bruce!!!” Bella screamed as he flicked his tongue over her clit. She arched powerfully against him and he struggled to keep her down.

Finally, he relented and moved to kneel between her thighs. 

His hands slid under her to angle her hips to his liking as she wiggled, wanting him to hurry. Her stomach quivered at the desire she saw in his eyes as the thick head of his erection pressed to her entrance. Bruce was merciless, moving slowly, pacing himself instead of taking her hard and fast. Her hands fisted in the sheet under her and she cried out in frustration. His thickness stretched her until she was sure she couldn’t take anymore and then he slid even deeper, aided by the angle of her hips. Fire surged in her veins as he hit some unknown spot that made her gasp. Bella arched her back she tried to prolong the sensation. Bruce pulled back and thrust harder into her so that he slammed into the same spot with greater force. A scream broke from her throat and she felt like she’d been set on fire as he shifted to a fast rhythm that left her breathless.

“Oooohhhh,” she cried as she felt the tell-tell tightening in her channel when he thrust deep.

Her muscles clamped down around him as her orgasm began. Bruce pulled back and drove home, finding the place that had made her gasp again in one brutal stroke as she rolled her hips and somehow drew him in even deeper. The feeling of complete fullness made her whimper as every nerve in her body was assailed with pleasure. His fingers found their way between their bodies and he caressed the hardened button of her clit. It was too much. She screamed, and her body bowed under the incredible sensations.

Bruce’s hands tightened on her hips.

She knew the moment his control broke. He buried himself in her in one hard thrust and the controlled lovemaking turned savage. He pistoned in and out of her in brutal strokes that made her orgasm intensify. She was mindless to anything but the waves of pleasure that broke over her as she clutched the sheet and cried out. Her hips kept moving through it all, unable to stop, welcoming each hard thrust that made her keen with pleasure. It was too much but she wanted it to last forever. 

He came with a roar and buried himself inside her one last time, rooting himself as deep into her channel as possible. Her body spasmed at the invasion. Bella jolted at the powerful sensation and gave high pitched shout as another orgasm came on the heels of the one that had just faded. Her inner muscles clamped down like a vise around him and she sobbed with pleasure. Her mind fragmented and her arms went around Bruce’s waist to anchor herself against the tsunami of sensation. Hard and fast the orgasm tore through her and she melted into the bed when it was over, completely lax. Bruce was sprawled over her, his heavy weight both crushing and comforting. 

Her hands stroked up and down his back and traced the hollow of his spine. Her eyes drifted shut as contentment washed over her. Their hearts pounded, and their breathing was ragged, even after a minute passed. Bruce recovered his strength before she did, and he rolled off her. She missed his weight and warmth, but he made up for it when he curled around her. Bella turned her face into his shoulder and soaked up the feel of his skin on hers. Nothing was said, and she liked it that way. It let her revel in the power of what had just happened for a few more moments as the passion faded away. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

A sensation, as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown in her face, woke Bella. The moment she woke an intense feeling of alarm made her heart skip a beat.

From the kitchen she heard Bruce’s voice, low and urgent.

“What do you mean execution?”

Bella realized the fear she felt wasn’t her own. It belonged to Bruce.

She untangled herself from the sheet and grabbed her robe from the armchair beside the bed. A softer voice answered Bruce and she strained to catch the words, but they spoke so low she couldn’t. Whatever they said, the tone was grim. Fear churned in her belly, responding to the dismay Bruce felt. She belted her robe and walked around the fireplace wall to the kitchen.

Esme, Carlisle and Bruce stood in a tight circle by the end of the island. Bruce wore nothing but a pair of boxers. His back was to her, so she couldn’t read his expression, but she could see Esme’s eyes filmed over with venom tears. Carlisle’s mouth was pressed into a somber line and his hair stood up at odd angles as if he’d run his hands through it.

“What’s going on?”

Three pairs of eyes turned to her and she knew. Her knees turned to rubber.

“No,” she breathed. Edward wasn’t dead, he couldn’t be. It was all her fault. 

Bruce was at her side in a second and he wrapped his arm around her to keep her upright.

“He’s alive,” Carlisle said.

“Not for long,” Bruce corrected, not sugar coating the truth. He was honest, always, and she was glad for it even as fear formed iron bands around her lungs to cut off air.

She looked at Bruce. “What happened?” 

“Edward gave himself up. He and Demetri arrived at the hotel a little while ago. Jane has decided he’ll be executed at dawn.”

“Executed for what?!” Bella cried.

The was an awkward silence. Esme looked down and pressed her hand to her mouth as her shoulders shook with a silent sob and it hit her. He’d confessed to revealing himself to her when she’d been human. 

“Let me talk to them,” she said. “I can show them my powers.” 

“You being a sorceress now doesn’t negate what Edward did six years ago,” Bruce pointed out. “You knew what he was when you were human. He broke the law.”

And he’ll pay the price. 

It hung in the air unsaid, but he couldn’t hide the thought from her.

“I can’t believe you!” Bella glared at him.

Bruce’s eyes narrowed, and she felt his frustration. “He turned himself in, Bella. He admitted to a crime, he knew what would happen.”

“But you could stop this, if you wanted to.” Carlisle spoke, his tone hesitant, as if he wasn’t sure what he was asking. Bruce tore his gaze from Bella.

“This is his decision,” he told the doctor. “And it looks like he’s made his choice.”

“I’ll go,” Bella said.

“No,” Bruce interjected.

Carlisle’s eyes met Bella’s, hope and uncertainty gleaming in the golden orbs.

She stepped out of Bruce’s arms. “Let’s go.”

He caught her wrist in a tight grip, “Bella, I said no.”

“I’m going.” Her voice was flat and determined and her jaw was set. 

Bruce opened his mouth to argue. 

“I’m going!”

“Fine!” Bruce’s mouth was curled into a fearsome scowl and he looked as if he wanted to strangle her. Instead he snapped his fingers and her short nightgown and robe turned into a pair of jeans and a button-down blouse. His own clothing turned into a charcoal suit.

“Let’s go,” Bruce said. Ice saturated his voice, but he held open the door for her, even as rage glittered in his eyes.

The atmosphere in Carlisle’s SUV was tense. She felt like she was next to a bonfire, with the snapping and popping of angry flames hot enough to make her sweat right beside her. He wasn’t truly upset, but worried and she regretted that he was upset. But she couldn’t live with herself if she let Edward die because of something that, at its core, was her fault. 

Too many people in her life had already suffered the same fate.

Bruce’s voice sounded in her mind. I know you need to do this. That doesn’t mean I like it.

At the hotel he helped her out of the vehicle and slipped his hand into hers. His grip tightened fraction by fraction as the elevator rose to the eleventh floor until she flexed her hand to relieve his vice grip on her fingers.

When they stepped off the elevator, into the hallway Bruce saw that Jane and her companions were still trapped where he’d left them six hours before. The only addition was Demetri and Edward standing in front of the door to the Cullen’s suite. Demetri had a firm grip on Edward’s elbow, shackling him to his side. All eyes turned to the newcomers. 

“I told you to leave,” Edward growled.

Esme shook her head. “That was never a possibility.”

“You won’t want to see this,” Jane said, sick amusement coloring her tone.

“You can’t execute him without hearing evidence,” Carlisle said. “We’ve brought a witness, Bella Swan.”

She stepped out from behind Bruce and moved to his side, facing down the Volturi Guard. 

Edward’s face turned into a mask of fury and his eyes flashed with anger. He glowered at Bruce. “You brought her here?!”

“I insisted on coming. You can’t do this,” Bella said to Jane.

“He broke the law. He revealed himself to a human and broke the law. Our most important law,” Jane said, her tone patient, as if she was explaining something to a small child. A serene smile turned up her mouth and condescension dripped from her words. “Ordinarily we’d kill them all. But an exception has been made, seeing as Aro has a soft spot for this clan.” 

“I’m not human, I’m a sorceress. The law wasn’t broken.”

Bella held out her hand, conjured up a ball of green fire and let it dance in the air over her palm. It wasn’t as bright as when Bruce did it, but it was there. “See?” 

Jane’s eyes narrowed, and she glared at Carlisle. “Do you think your family is above the law?! She was human when he revealed himself to her and this makes no difference in our judgement.” 

“It makes all the difference,” Carlisle said.

Jane clicked her tongue. “You must be aware that accusations have been following you,” she told Esme and Carlisle. “Laurent mentioned her when he was visiting Alaska, and word reached the Volturi. Of course, given your standing, these accusations were rejected as false.”

She cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips, a gesture of ponderance. 

“But then Victoria made accusations to covens in Mexico and Texas and we heard rumors again, but brushed them off. But after meeting her in person and the boy, Riley….. we can’t afford to be seen as partisan, Carlisle. As much as we respect you and value your friendship, this cannot go unanswered.”

“There is no crime,” Carlisle repeated, an edge of hostility in his voice.

“How is there no crime?” Jane rolled her eyes threw her arms out dramatically. “The law is clear, vampires may never reveal themselves to humans! There are no exceptions!” She waved her hand at Bella. “She isn’t human now, we can all see that. But it’s a minor technicality. When the events occurred, she was a human and not a sorceress. And of course, we have a confession straight from the source.”

“How is this even in your authority to decide?” Bella asked. “Doesn’t Aro need to hear the case?”

Jane’s face twisted into a sneer. Bruce stepped in front of his mate, alarmed as the vampire hissed with anger. 

“Aro has nothing to do with this!”

Bella wanted to argue but she felt Bruce’s apprehension too acutely to speak. Two needs warred inside of her, one side wanting to keep her mate safe and the other wanting to save Edward. She knew she was still mostly human, weak and unable to protect herself with magic. To put herself in danger was to put Bruce in danger, given the tight bond between their souls. In the end she did the only thing she could to protect him and stayed behind him.

“I make the judgments here,” Jane growled. 

Carlisle seized on her statement. “Are you acting on the royal’s authority or not? Aro hasn’t been heard from directly at all. This isn’t a trial if there isn’t a hearing.”

“I want a trial with Aro,” Bella told Jane. She peaked around Bruce to make eye contact with the girl.

“I second that,” Esme said.

“I want to show him what I can do,” Bella said. “I’m sure he would be fascinated. Doesn’t Aro has a collection of studies on magical creatures?”

Jane appeared swayed for a moment. Demetri and Felix both looked at her for direction. Alec scowled. The threat of violence had dissipated, and his irritation was plain.

“Jane,” Alec prompted. “Aro delegated authority to you. It’s your decision. Ignore the desperate bartering of fools. We cannot abide such flagrant violation of our most important law, particularly by a coven we’re known to be friends with. If our laws only apply to a few, then what good are they? There cannot be favoritism. Or worse, the rumor may spread that we did not attack because of their strength. It would be devastating to our standing, Jane. What would Aro think?”

Bella saw Esme flinch from the corner of her eye. 

“Edward,” Jane addressed him for the first time.

“Yes?” he inquired, his voice unemotional.

“You are the one that turned yourself in. Do you believe a crime was committed?”

Silence hung thick over the room as Edward hesitated.

Carlisle and Esme didn’t breathe, and their anxiety was its own presence. Bella felt her heartbeat throb in her chest as fear sank into her very bones. Her stomach twisted and roiled with such intensity that it felt like a living thing inside of her. Edward’s golden eyes met hers. Then he spoke.

“Yes. I did reveal myself to Bella when she was human. What I did was unforgivable and deserves the harshest punishment. I accept the Volturi’s judgement.”

What happened next was so fast Bella almost couldn’t see it. Felix and Demetri grasped Edward by the arms and forced him to his knees. The motion was smooth, balletic. Alec grasped thick bronze hair in one hand as the other hand wrapped around Edward’s head, gripping his jaw. Then with a single pull, he separated Edward’s head from his body. Demetri and Felix detached both arms with far less effort than Bella had imagined necessary. A horrible metallic screech accompanied their action, like a car being crushed in compacter as the metal twisted into unnatural pieces. Ash from the decapitation floated in the air like smoke. 

Jane stepped forward to the body, a slivery object in her hand. Bella recognized it as a butane torch, the same kind used in glass blowing. A jet of fire shot from it, and the pieces that had once been Edward were engulfed in flames. Once the fire touched his remains they caught as if they were coated in gasoline. The pile of body parts became a pyre in seconds. Venom acted as an accelerant, Bella remembered.

Too aghast to do anything but stare, Bella watched the flames consume the body of her former love. Thoughts didn’t form, emotions fled, and she was left numb. All she could do was watch and absorb the scene as its details seared into her mind. A soft click sounded, and the jet of fire was extinguished. Jane tucked the torch back into the folds of her cloak and faced them with a smile.

“Now the law has been fulfilled.”


	28. Life After Death

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Life After Death

“The sun is new each day,” – Heraclitus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The house was empty. In a way, Bella was grateful for the quiet. Alone, she could let down the façade of calm she’d put on for the past three days. She knew Bruce thought the brave face had been for him, but it was for her. If she fell apart, she didn’t know if she’d be able to put herself back together again.

Bella reached for Bruce with her mind. When nothing happened, she frowned, and tried again. This time she could sense a faint presence that she thought was him, but it was too weak for her to be certain. On the nightstand, her phone buzzed, and she checked to see a message from Bruce.

Do you need me?

Why can’t I reach you? she replied.

His response was quick. Our telepathy doesn’t reach this far yet.

Bella stared at her phone. Far? He’d only left mid-afternoon and it was ten minutes to eleven at night now. How far could he be?

Where are you?

His response came immediately. Forks.

Of course! He and Judah were planting memories in the minds of the people who’d worked on her missing persons case. In the drama of the Cullens coming back into her life and Edward’s death she’d forgotten about her impending return. A chill swept over her as the words, Edward’s death, crossed her mind. They reverberated in her mind, an echo so loud it was painful. He was dead, and it had been because of her, yet again. Her father, Jake, Edward…… Wrapping her mind around the scope of the harm she had caused was difficult.

Bella burrowed into the blankets and tried to blank her mind, to let sleep take her away, but soon she was tossing and turning. Without Bruce’s warmth next to her she felt chilled and restless without his presence in her mind. Even after getting another blanket from downstairs she felt cold and miserable. All she could see was Edward’s head being torn from his body by Felix’s hands. Every time she shut her eyes the scene replayed, vivid and real each time, never losing the shock value that made her stomach clench. 

After an hour Bella accepted that sleep was a lost cause. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders for added warmth and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. Taking a seat at the breakfast bar she stared out at the lake, watching the fog creep in over the water. It was cooling off. August was running out of days as September loomed on the horizon. Something tickled in the back of her mind and she struggled as a memory tried to pry its way free. Six weeks.

The deadline. Bruce had given her six weeks to marry him in Marseille. 

Damn it Bella mused, checking the date on the fridge. Six weeks was only ten days away. How could throw together a wedding in ten days? Could you even get a marriage license in ten days, was that legal? She stalked back to the bed and sank into the blankets and hoped for sleep, only to toss and turn once more.

At some point, she must have fallen asleep because the creaking of the floorboards woke her up. When she sat up, she caught sight of a shadowy outline by the window. Bruce’s presence flooded her mind and keen relief filled her, as if she’d just spotted the shore after swimming a great distance. He crossed to the bed. Bella reached for him without saying a word. Bruce wrapped his arms around her and pressed his face into her hair with a sigh. Her chill vanished, and warmth spread through her body as the goosebumps on her arms faded.

“How did it go?”

“Fine,” Bruce said. “We finished in Seattle early.”

“I thought you were in Forks.”

His muscles tensed under her hands and she felt a burst of guilt from him. “I took the draft of your letter to Billy.”

She jerked away. “What?!”

He caught her waist. “Listen to me.”

“I wasn’t finished with it!”

“I kept everything but the first paragraph.”

She scowled. Emotions warred within her as she struggled between anger and gratitude. On one hand, she was furious that he’d taken the pages she’d written without her consent, unfinished. On the other, at least it was done. Billy knew how she felt. She’d done all that she could to make amends and there was nothing else left. A weight lifted from her shoulders even as irritation sank in. 

“It’s okay. He need to know,” she said. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The doorbell rang at six forty, just as the sun was coming up. 

At the door there was a man in a rumpled polo shirt and equally creased khaki trousers. Bella opened the door with as little noise as possible. Bruce was still asleep on the other side of the fireplace.

“Can I help you?” 

He hesitated and looked at her for a long moment. Then his eyes strayed over her right shoulder, towards the inside of the house.

“Is Bruce in?”

“He’s asleep.”

“It’s important.”

“Do you know what time it is?” Bella asked. 

“Look, ma’am, would you please wake him up? I have news he needs to hear. Tell him it’s Peter Block.”

Her spine stiffened at his tone, the way he said, ‘look ma’am.’ 

“Hey, Pete.”

Bruce’s sleep roughened voice sounded from behind her and she jumped, surprised he’d managed to wake up without her noticing. In the past few days their telepathic connection had grown, so much it was sometimes hard to tell who was thinking what, or whose mind it had originated from. 

“Bruce,” the sandy haired man said with relief. “You have to see this.”

He thrust forward an expandable pocket file, which strained at the edges to keep all the pages in. Bella stepped aside to let Bruce accept it and watched as he flipped open the top.

Block cleared his throat. “If you don’t mind Ms. Swan….”

“She stays,” Bruce said. “This is about her, after all.”

“Does she know?” Peter asked.

Bella crossed her arms. “Know what?” 

“He’s found your identity,” Bruce said.

From the file, he took a page and handed it to her, folded half over.

Remember to look surprised, Bruce told her telepathically.

Bella unfolded the paper and saw a missing person’s report from five years ago, with her picture smack in the middle. For a moment, she was struck dumb at the sight of the old document, stunned to see her real name in bold print and large font. It was her old life, colliding with her new life. The surprise she’d been reminded to express wasn’t a farce. Her heart jumped to her throat and she felt light headed, the breath left her lungs in an instant. This was real, she was Bella Swan again. The days of hiding and lying were over. It was over. 

“Why don’t we take this into the kitchen?” Bruce suggested, as he took her by the elbow and guided her towards the kitchen.

Peter followed on their heels. He took the barstool next to Bella as they sat down. 

“I haven’t introduced myself properly Ms. Swan. I’m Bruce’s private investigator.” He extended his hand to her and she shook it.

The corners of his thin lips turned up in a sympathetic smile. “I realize I’ve given you quite a shock. I can explain the rest.”

“Sure,” Bella replied.

With disbelief, she listened as he recounted how he’d researched her past from Bruce’s description of her history. She was too shocked to take in much of what he said but his final words jolted her out of her reverie. 

“The Seattle PD are calling your mother in Florida to tell her the good news right now.”

“They are?”

Peter smiled. “Yes. You have a step father as well, and your biological father passed away five years ago.”

“Thank you,” Bella said. 

She wished there was something else she could say that would better capture her gratitude, but it was all she could manage.

The private investigator didn’t stay long. He kept looking at Bella as if she might fall apart and she suspected he wanted to be gone before that happened. As they headed down to the bat cave, Bruce laced their fingers together.

“You look like a ghost, sweetheart. Are you sure you don’t want to lie down for a while?”

“I’m fine.”

Bruce grunted, his disapproval clear. 

Alfred and Judah were on stools on opposite sides of the medical table. Alfred wrestled with wires in the bat costume as Judah sipped coffee and watched with amusement. When the elevator doors opened, Bruce was called over to help. He shot her a look, but she waved him off and went to the couch where she curled her legs under her. With a pillow cradled to her stomach she tried to wrap her mind around what had happened. Renee and Phil would learn that she was still alive and then what – call? Come to visit? Want her to move to Jacksonville? Change was right around the corner and despite it being a good change she couldn’t help but feel like her life had suddenly spun out of control. With Edward’s death, a hurricane had entered her life and she was being swept away by the flood, towards what she didn’t know. 

Bruce declared they were going upstairs for lunch. It took her a second to process that six hours has slipped away between Peter’s visit and the present. She took his hand and let him lead her upstairs. The table was already laid out with food, prepared by Alfred.

When they were seated, Bruce turned to her, serious.

“Are you alright?” 

“I think so.” Her lips pursed in thought and she struggled for words to capture what she felt. 

“It’s okay to be anxious,” he said. He reached across the table for her hands. “This is a life changing step.”

“I should be happy! I’m getting to see my Mom and Phil again, but I’m still wrapped up in….”

Edward’s death. She couldn’t bring herself to say the words, but he knew exactly what she meant. The turnaround between a horrible event a few days ago and this, something that was supposed to be joyous, was a strain. Like when a winter storm froze concrete and the temperatures rose, the rapid cooling and heating of emotions cracked even the strongest of composures. 

“If you don’t want to see your mother, you don’t have to.”

Shock lit her eyes. “But I do, I just don’t know how to handle it. I don’t feel ready for this happen and I feel guilty about it because I shouldn’t feel anxious, I should be thrilled!”

The ringing of her cell phone interrupted whatever Bruce was going to say. A 904-number lit up the screen. Jacksonville. 

She didn’t give herself time to think before picking up the call. 

“Hello?”

“Bella?” a tentative voice asked.

“This is she.”

Silence, then a sob. On the other end Renee broke down in tears and unexpectedly Bella felt her own eyes water. After the past few days, she’d thought her tear ducts must be drained. With the back of her hand she dashed away the moisture and blinked hard. Bruce watched her with apprehension. The tense set of his jaw told her he was worried about how this conversation would go.

His voice filled her head. Remember, you don’t know anything about her. This is the first time you’ve spoken with this woman.

Bella nodded.

“Are you Renee?” she asked.

“Yes, I am. I’m your mother,” she choked out. “I’m so happy to talk to you, Bella.” 

“Me too.”

“We thought you were dead,” Renee said, her voice rough. 

There was a pause as Bella struggled to formulate a response.

“I’m rushing you, aren’t I? I don’t mean to I’m just so excited. I spoke with the Seattle detectives at length this morning and they told me to start slow. I’m sorry honey, I just can’t contain myself. When can I see you?”

“As soon as possible.”

There was hope in her voice as Renee asked, “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

“I’d love to see you. I’m getting married soon and I’d like to meet you before the wedding. We haven’t set a date or anything yet, but I was hoping-”

“I’d love to!! Oh, you’re getting married, my baby is getting married!” 

In the background someone spoke, a deeper voice, which Bella recognized as Phil.

“To who?” Renee asked.

“Bruce Wayne.”

“That name sounds familiar,” her mother mused. “Wait. Is he the Bruce Wayne I’m thinking of, the one who’s always in the magazines?”

“Probably,” Bella said.

“Well, how soon can we meet him? And you too I suppose. I have so much to tell you, I’ll bring photo albums, home videos – everything.”

Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Bella found herself smiling. “I’m looking forward to it. This doesn’t all feel real yet,” she said. “But I’m sure it will when I see you in person.”

They set a date for next week and Bruce promised to send his jet to spare Renee and Phil the expense of plane tickets. 

When the call was over, Bella picked at her salad, her mind a million miles away.

“What will it feel like when you take my memories? Will I not remember her at all? Even enough to have an instinct that she’s my mother?”

“I don’t know how severe the spell will be,” Bruce said. “But it’s only temporary. Once she leaves they’ll be back and like I’d never taken them in the first place.”

If it was what she had to do to see her mother again, Bella figured some discomfort was a small price to pay.

Despite her resolve distress followed her throughout the day. It wasn’t about the memories she decided. It was the wedding. 

The wedding was bothering her because it was loose end. In Marseille, she’d agreed to Bruce’s terms and had promised to marry him in six weeks. Here they were, almost to that date, and no progress had been made towards a wedding. She hadn’t even thought about it. Maybe they should go to Vegas. It would be simple and quick, but she was pretty sure that members of Gotham’s elite weren’t allowed to get married in a drive thru by an Elvis impersonator. 

As long as its legal, I’m happy.

Bruce’s voice in her head startled her. Lost in thought she hadn’t noticed him in her mind.

We’re not going to Vegas the gossip rags would eat it up. Does Alfred have any plans? As your family, he should be involved.

I’m sure he does. I’ll send him up.

Ten minutes later Bella was ready to fly to Vegas and be married before dusk. Does Alfred have any plans was the wrong question to ask. She should have asked how many plans he had because the butler had attacked her with Excel spreadsheets, bridal magazines and a list of wedding planners that took two pages, front and back. Her phone buzzed, and she looked down, certain it would be from Renee. They had been texting all afternoon concerning the details of her visit to Gotham. Instead the number flashed as unknown.

Opening the text, she read:

Can you come outside? It’s Alice.

“Excuse me,” Bella said. She interrupted Alfred in the middle of his tirade about the number of venues not available to them on short notice. “I have to go see Alice.”

“Hmmm? Yes, that’s fine. I’ll keep calling. Maybe the botanical gardens? I’m not sure they’re big enough.”

“We aren’t planning on many guests. Why not just have it here?”

Alfred looked up at her over the frames of his horn-rimmed glasses. “Here?”

Unable to read his tone, she raised her hands in surrender. “Hey, it was just an idea.”

“Let me think about it.”

With no small amount of relief, she escaped outside. 

Alice texted again to ask her to bring down the shield spell and she managed it without Bruce’s help. Her magic had grown so much in the past few days. Things that had been impossible for her a week ago were easy now. With Bruce’s knowledge of spells, she didn’t have to look any farther than his mind for instructions.  
She waited outside for Alice. A yellow Porsche with dark windows pulled into the carport and Alice stepped out, without regard for the afternoon sunshine and threw her arms around Bella.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” she asked untangling herself from Alice’s arms.

“Leaving. Again. I know the last week must have been awful for you. It was for me.”

Her heart squeezed at the apology, delivered like a repentance. “Alice, it’s fine. You needed to grieve.”

“I’m sorry for leaving the first time too. I did what Edward asked, even though I knew it was wrong.”

What could she say? It worked out for the best? Not for the Cullens, not for Edward. 

“Thanks,” was her lame reply.

“Do you forgive me?” Alice asked. 

“Of course,” Bella said, amazed that she even needed to ask. Alice was her best friend and she was glad to have her back, regardless of the terrible events that had facilitated their reunion. 

“Are you in any danger from the Volturi?”

Alice shook her head. “None, Bruce took care of it.”

“He did?”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

Alice hesitated, then gave in. “He killed Jane later that night when Edward was executed. Alec attacked him for it and he killed him as well. Demetri and Felix were sent back to the Volturi with a box of ashes and a warning not to come after us. Yesterday we received an email from Aro that we were never to have any contact with them again. It’s a situation that works well for both of us.”

“Wow.” Bella was stunned by the revelation. She hugged the tiny vampire. “I’m glad you’re safe. And I’m thrilled you’re here.”

The front door opened behind her. “Have you thought about Marseille?” Alfred asked.

“Marseille?” Alice said. She released Bella and pushed her aside to get to the butler. “I love Marseille!”

“You must be Alice,” he said and offered her his hand. “Bruce mentioned you once or twice. It’s a pleasure.”

“Likewise. So why are we thinking about Marseille?”

“For the wedding, of course. We’re on a tight deadline. If we aren’t done putting something together in nine days Bruce sweeps her off to Las Vegas.”

Alice looked horrified. “Vegas? They can’t be married in Vegas!” She spun and faced Bella, her expression dangerous. “You can’t go to Vegas, it’s an abomination!”

“My sentiments exactly,” Alfred said.

“Let me help,” Alice offered. “I can wrangle Bella and I don’t have to sleep. We’ll need to work around the clock to pull this off.”

“I’d love that. I need all the help I can get.” Alfred held open the door and waved her inside. The woman danced inside, delight radiating from her.

Bella stared after them. Her life had just gotten a lot more complicated. Only God knew what Alfred and Alice could accomplish together. If she wasn’t careful she’d walk down the aisle to Andrea Bocelli singing ‘Ave Maria’ and wearing a designer ball gown. 

Over the next few days all her worst fears came true. Alice arranged dress fittings with designers. Alfred contacted a wedding planner in France to set up the gardens for the ceremony and found a pastor to do the ceremony. She approved the menu, the decorations, and put her foot down when they tried to take the guest list. No more than twenty people at the wedding, she insisted. Alice pouted, and Alfred crossed his arms, but she didn’t budge. Twenty people was her maximum.

Friday night, Renee and Phil arrived in Bruce’s private jet. Bella waited to meet them on the runway, with Bruce at her elbow, his presence a steady source of support. He’d done the spell to alter her memory that afternoon. In one fell swoop, half of her memories had vanished. She had imagined it would feel strange but there was no discernable difference in her mind. It was scary how seamlessly her mind accepted its new limitations.

When Renee stepped off the plane Bella had no idea who she was. The short haired brunette woman that walked towards her could have been any generic woman from the supermarket for all the familiarity she felt towards her. Her mouth went dry and the strength drained from her knees, but she started towards her mother anyways. An arm’s length away from each other they stopped.

Renee’s eyes searched her face. She knew they sought a sign of recognition and felt guilty she couldn’t give it. Her mother offered her hand and an unsteady smile.

“I’m Renee, your mother.”

Bella took her hand and pulled her into a hug. The older woman almost fell forward in her haste to embrace her and tripped over her feet. She leaned into her and Bella could feel her tremble. Belatedly, she realized Renee was crying.

“It’s okay,” she whispered in her ear. “I’m okay.”

To her surprise, the words were true. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Renee took to wedding planning like a duck to water. After she recovered from her shock at finding Alice Cullen in Gotham, she fit right in. Alfred and Alice were quick to accept her as one of their own and put her to work on floral arrangements. In her usual scatter-brained style, her mother helped plan and told Bella stories about herself. She’d pop in an old home video to the VCR for Bella to watch and then run to the kitchen table to help Alice and Alfred. From across the room she offered commentary on the movie while looking at flower catalogs. 

Phil was around, but she hardly noticed him as he and Bruce had hit it off over baseball. The men had gone to take in an afternoon game – the Gotham Griffins versus the Metropolis Monarchs. Phil had seemed particularly excited to sit in the box seats, which Bruce had season tickets to. She appreciated his sensitivity – Renee’s attention span was fragmented enough without a third distraction.

Too soon, her mother and Phil left. As the coach of the varsity baseball team at Jacksonville High and one of the general managers for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Phil only had so much free time in the late summer. Renee had kindergarten classes starting on the first of September. 

Wedding planning hit high gear in the first week of September. Bella followed orders without much grumbling and accepted her torture. Someday she would get revenge on Alice and Alfred for this, she resolved. After her fourth dress fitting she made plans to slice the coolant hose in Alice’s prized yellow Porsche. The car had been Edward’s last birthday gift to Alice however, so guilt stopped her intended vandalism. 

Though wedding planning felt like it lasted forever, Alfred and Alice worked like a dream team. In under nine days they’d put together a wedding. Bella and Bruce arrived in Marseille the second weekend in September to find that the gardens in the back of the house had been transformed. An arbor had been set up in the middle of the topiary garden and decorated with flowers, seats were line up in careful rows on the grass, decorated with ribbons. Whoever Alfred had hired had been worth the money.

Bella counted the chairs for guests. Fourteen chairs were arranged in two rows. Her restriction of twenty guests had been respected.

They slept in separate bedrooms that night something Alice had insisted on, much to Bruce’s chagrin. At ten minutes past five a pounding on the door woke her. The cruel beams of sunlight pained her eyes. She groaned and buried her face in the pillow. 

Alice’s excited voice sounded through the door. “Time to rise and shine!” 

“Go away.”

“Come on, you have hair and makeup.” 

The covers were pulled away in a rush and Bella hissed. 

“Guests will be arriving in four hours.”

“Five more minutes.”

Negations failed. Bella found herself thrust into the shower with a twenty-minute time limit. Three hours later she was allowed to look in the mirror for the first time. Despite the torture Alice had put her through the results were inarguable. She looked stunning. Renee and Phil arrived early and when her mother saw her, the water works started.

“Doesn’t she look stunning Phil?” 

Nodding dutifully, he shared an amused look with Bella as she hugged her mother to console her. Renee gave her a set of silver combs that had belonged to her grandmother before Phil took her arm and guided her out of the room. Alice added them to Bella’s chignon for something old.

“It’s time,” Alice said.

She took a step back and surveyed her work. The smile she offered was melancholy. Then Alice sucked in a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and pasted on a happy expression. “You have five minutes to yourself and then Phil is coming up to walk you down the aisle. No crying, that make up is a masterpiece.” 

Alice left.

Bella sat in the vanity chair and waited for some pre-wedding jitters to come on. There weren't any.

Bruce’s voice sounded in her head. I have something for you. Check the vanity mirror.

Bella turned around and saw that jammed between the frame was a plain white envelope with no writing on it. She picked it up and tore it open. Inside was a folded sheet of legal paper which she undid to find handwriting that was easily identifiable to her. Billy Black had replied to her letter.

 

Dear Bella,

I was thrilled to receive your letter. I’ve thought about you often over the past few years and always wondered if you were alive or not. Only on a rare occasion did I allow myself to consider that you might still be alive. It seemed too good to be true.

Your apology for bringing the redhead to Forks is unnecessary. You didn’t bring her here, or ask to be hunted by her, or that she kill my son. You hold no fault in the deaths that the redhead caused, Bella. Always remember that. Even as I write those words I know they will sound hollow to a person riddled with survivor’s guilt.  
I have some experience in that, after the car accident that killed Sarah and left me paralyzed. I wake up every morning and ask myself why it wasn’t me driving that car. I have longed to trade places with her and let her be the survivor many times. She was far better suited to raising Jake than I ever was, and I know that he missed her terribly. Self-blame is easier than accepting that we cannot control events in our lives and that bad things happen, more frequently than is healthy to think about.

It was the philosopher Heraclites who said, “The sun in new each day.” That saying helped me often after Sarah died. Remember that every day is new. It brings new joy, new pain, and new opportunities. Don’t get so bogged down, either in the pain or the joy, that you miss the new opportunities.

Much love,

Billy Black

 

Bella folded the paper closed and tucked it back into the envelope. She set it on the vanity table and crossed to the window, where she looked down into the garden. Guests were being seated and among them she spotted Billy Black being pushed in his wheel chair by Sue Clearwater. With amazement, she watched as he stopped and shook Carlisle’s hand.  
Her eyes were drawn away from the guests, to one person. Bruce. He stood under the arbor with the pastor who would perform the ceremony, engaged in conversation with the elderly man. Bruce turned and looked up. Their eyes met. She smiled. Hope blossomed in her chest.

Billy was right. The sun was new each day.


	29. Author's Note

Dear all,

Thank you for reading! Over the past twenty-eight weeks, I’ve appreciated your support and loved seeing this story climb from 289 hits to more than 2,000. I owe a special thank you to those of you who have commented on this work and filled my inbox with your remarks and so many kind words. Your feedback has made me smile, given me butterflies in my stomach, and made me want to write seven hundred fanfictions.

I’m sure some of you have wondered how I’ve managed to write a chapter a week. The truth is, I didn’t. I wrote this over the course of a full year, from December 2016 to May 2017. Then I did a second draft over the summer and preformed an edit that autumn. When I finished, I began posting this story. It was a pleasure to write this piece and I feel that I’ve grown a lot, creatively, in the past year and a half. This is the first time I’ve finished a book-length piece and it’s been a huge confidence booster to see that it’s finished. 

The funniest thing about this story is what inspired it. My parents launched me on this quest to write a book length work when they laughed at me. We were at dinner and I was waxing poetic about how I wanted to be a writer, but I was incapable of finishing anything. “But I’m still a writer!” I said. They both began laughing. I was offended, but they thought I was hilarious. My offense soon turned into resolve and I sat down to start this piece that same week, full of indignation and dedication. My initial resolution was to write at least 50,000 words and give it a satisfactory ending. I’ve ended up at more than 90,000 words and made three drafts of this story in the process. It turns out being laughed at by my parents was the best thing that ever happened to my writing career. 

Some have asked if I’m going to write any other pieces of fanfiction. The answer is yes. I’m working on a draft of two different pieces and I’m trying to write at a more consistent pace; at least 2,000 words a day. Additionally, I’m trying to make the crafting of my plots better, my characters more realistic, and my dialog more entertaining. At present I cannot promise when my next pieces of fanfiction will be coming out. The one thing I can guarantee is this – they will be about Bella.

All in all, I’m thrilled this work is finished. I’ve become a better writer in the process of creating it, and I’m hoping to work towards becoming even better. Thanks for sticking with me for twenty-eight weeks, I hope to see you all again! 

Yours, 

Golden28


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